Disturbia
by Araylia Reed
Summary: AU fic, starting pre Ianto with OC extra added in. It trundles along S1, 2 and COE it will even include the last Ten Xmas/NewYear DW specials. Rated M just to be extra careful.
1. The End

***Rewritten version* **

Closing her eyes she leant into the cascading water, letting it fall deliciously down her back. She opened her mouth slightly, blowing droplets of water off of her lips. God, she felt tense. She rubbed the back of her neck trying to dislodge the tension she had felt building all day. She frowned as she heard whispering in the back of her mind, jumping when a cold draft washed over her.

'Alright, jumpy!' he raised his hands in mock surrender, 'I just wanted to shower not to kidnap you.'

She grinned, 'Wasn't that Thursday night's escapade?'

'I thought Thursday was cops and robbers?' he slid behind her, positioning himself so he was standing almost directly underneath the faucet.

'Excuse me? I believe I was here first...'

'You know what they say, Ray. You snooze you lose,' he shrugged casually, smiling when he felt her body slide up against his.

'But I think that the elusive "they" also say that sharing is caring,' she brushed her lips against his, 'Wash my back?'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Tosh! Whaddya got for me?' Jack swept down the stairs pulling his greatcoat on.

'High psychic readings coming from Cardiff Central,' she deadpanned, never taking her eyes off the monitor in front of her.

'What delight has the rift given us this time?'

'It's not the rift,' Tosh stated matter of factly.

'So...?' he furrowed his eyebrows, 'Local alien? It's not Ben again is it? I told him to keep the magic tricks to a minimum...'

'No…' Tosh paused examining the data, 'I'm not sure what to make of the readings...I've run a diagnostic on the scanners but it all comes back with the same result,' she shook her head, 'It says that the life sign is human.'

Jack stood behind Toshiko, studying the readings over her shoulder, 'But this is impossible. No human has ever been registered with physic capabilities that high before.'

Tosh nodded, fingers almost skipping over her keyboard, 'Exactly what I was thinking, but...it's right, Jack.'

TWTWTWTWTWTW

_The building burst into flames. I laughed as I strolled down the road. It was beautiful to be free. She had kept me cooped up for so long, festering at the back of her mind, denied and betrayed. I'd been fighting for years to get free and now that I was, I was going to make sure she knew what it felt like. How it had felt to be imprisoned, locked away with no way to escape the pain I'd had to endure from being ignored. _

What's up with that chick?

_I swept my eyes around wondering where that thought had come from. My gaze alighted on a male, chubby and wearing a ridiculous football shirt. What was wrong with me?__I formed my hand into the shape of a gun, thumb pointing upwards and my index and middle fingers pointing at the man. _

'_Bang,' I brought my thumb down. _

_There was just enough time for a look of disbelief on his face before his eyes rolled back into his skull and he fell to the floor. Laughing at the power I possessed, delighting in the feeling of complete and utter control and feeling almost contentment as I felt her struggling in the recess of our mind. _

'_Oh no, Ray. I don't think so. You kept me locked up, made me suffer, and now it's your turn. Did you know that you had quite a vengeful streak in you?' I rolled my eyes, 'You don't have a clue who you are.' _

_A gunshot from the left put a dampener on the mood, the bullet ricocheting off the shield I'd placed around myself and wedging itself into a nearby bench. I turned my head lazily in the direction it had come from. I peered into each of their minds, pulling out information on each of them. I frowned as I encountered a barrier on one of their minds, I side- stepped it easily enough, a gasp forming in my throat as I glimpsed his life. Drawing back quickly, I regained my composure._

'_If you don't stop what you're doing I'll-'_

'_What exactly will you do, Owen Harper?' I felt my smile widen at his look of disbelief, 'Oh yes. The chosen Doctor. Saving so many lives but unable to save the one most dear to him. Unable to save himself.' _

'_Shut up! Owen don't listen to her; don't let your guard down.'_

'_Toshiko Sato,' I sauntered forwards, 'the prodigy, able to grasp technological concepts from beyond this time. Metal's so cold isn't it Tosh?' I grinned at her wickedly._

'_Like to see you try that parlour trick on me, baby.' _

_I felt a small growl form in my throat, 'Oh I assure you, Captain Jack Harkness, that this is no parlour trick. Or should I call you by your real name?' I smirked as the mirth slipped from his features._

'_Why are you doing this?' he challenged._

'_Doing what? Enjoying myself for the first time in years?' I spat the words at him, 'Punishing her.' _

'_Punishing who?' _

_I laughed, 'Jack! You disappoint me,' I skipped over to the bench and pulled out the bullet, 'Even with all of your years of experience you've never come across something like me?' _

'_Why now?' I titled my head to look at Sato, 'If you've had this…power for so long why wait until now?' _

_I felt a growl rip from my throat, 'Because I was imprisoned,' I spat._

'_By who?' _

'_Why should I tell you?' _

_Harkness stepped up in front of her, 'Because we can help you.' _

'_Help me?' I laughed, 'What exactly do I need help with? No, Captain, you'd have me locked away for all the havoc I've caused and before you do that I've got one more thing on my mind.' _

_Harkness frowned, 'You- you're going to let us lock you away?' _

_I shrugged, scanning the plass as I did so, 'Sure, I want her to know what it feels like.' _

'_You keep referring to 'her' who are you talking about?' the technician spoke up, a feat I feel that didn't happen often._

'_My dear Toshiko, distracting me won't work,' I studied her for a minute, 'But 'she' is...me. Two people in one person, sounds awfully psychotic.' _

'_But, what are you?' _

'_I don't know if I'm honest. Maybe I'm what's next in store for the human race.' _

_Harkness coughed, 'There's not been a human like you for at least the next 30 centuries. If you're what's next why so early?' _

'_I didn't say that I knew, I was just guessing.' _

'_What's your name?' _

_I opened my mouth surprised by the sudden question, 'I-…why?'_

_He flashed me a grin, 'Just curious.' _

_I laughed, 'You're not curious, you're trying to distract me.' _

_He raised his hands, 'Just making conversation, whatever happened to good old fashioned getting to know one another?' _

_I rolled my eyes, 'Nice try, Harkness. But I'm not done yet,' my gaze alighted on who I'd been waiting for, 'That's my cue,' I grinned wickedly, 'Oh, and just in case you try to stop me,' I gestured to their feet, 'I think you'll find the ground rather sticky.' _

'_Where are you going?' Harkness growled._

_I ran my hands through my hair, breathing deeply and letting tears flood my eyes, 'You'll see, Captain. Just a little something to teach her a lesson.' _

_Tears freefell down my face as I started in his direction, her lover. Reaching me quickly he gathered me up in his arms, 'Ray, what's wrong? What's going on here?'_

'_I-I don't know…I can't remember what happened,' I raised my face towards his and whispered, 'they said I've done some terrible things...' _

_I grinned into his chest as he pulled me closer._

'_Get away from her!' I heard Harkness scream._

'_What are you talking about?' Bryan yelled back, 'She's my lover…'_

_I pulled him closer, putting a hand on his heart. 'Oh…you should have listened to him, darling,' I smirked as his confusion turned to anguish. He sunk to the floor clutching his chest, tears of blood falling down his cheeks. His last breath already carried away on the breeze. I felt her rage and agony bubble up inside of me, pushing me back down into the confines of our mind. I yelled out as I was forced back to the recess of our mind._

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack felt his feet free as he saw the man fall to the floor. This was not going to be good. He grabbed Owen as he tried to rush past.

'Harkness!' Owen hissed, 'What the fuck are you doing? Let me help him!'

The Captain shook his head, 'It's too late, Owen.'

'What do you mean it's too late?' Tosh asked, fear clouding her eyes.

'This…is not going to be pretty,' Jack breathed as he watched the girl double over.

A blood curdling howl escaped her body as she sunk to her knees, cradling the body of the man. She rocked his body over and over again screaming, 'No. No. No. No.'

She was dreaming, having a nightmare. She'd wake up in his arms while he rocked her gently, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Telling her it would be alright.

So why wasn't she waking up?

She rocked back and forth cradling her lover, hot tears spilling onto his face. She screamed again. She'd killed her lover, her life. She faced the three running towards her, guns trained on her. Guns. She sprang up, rushing over to the one in the military coat.

'Stay down!' he warned her.

She ignored him and ran straight up to him grabbing his hands, making him point the gun at her head, 'Shoot me! Pull the trigger,' she screamed at him, 'Do it! I- I'm a murderer, a threat! Just shoot me!'

He lowered the gun away from her head, 'No.'

She brought the gun back up to her head and wailed, 'Please?'

He wrapped his arms around her. She fought against the embrace before sobbing into it, 'I have nothing to live for…'

He shook his head again and pulled her closer as she began to sob more hysterically, 'I won't do it.'

Shucking him off, she crouched down next to the body, 'Bring him back. Bring him back!' she cradled the body again, rocking it gently.

Jack watched her cradle the body, shuffling while he debated the next course of action.

'Jack,' Tosh placed a hand on his forearm, 'What do we do?'

'What we have to,' he crouched down and placed a gentle hand on her back, 'We need you to come with us.'

Her body wracked with sobs, 'Please, just let me stay with him for a little while more.'

'Jack,' Owen warned as the display was attracting attention, 'The police are on the way, she can't-'

'I know,' Jack snapped back. Sighing he patted her back gently and pulled her upwards, 'We have to go,' he kept a sharp edge to his voice, 'You have to let him go now. We're...taking you into custody.'


	2. Welcome Home

***Re-Written Version***

Jack had both of his hands on her shoulders, guiding her through the hub and down to the cells. Her eyes shed the occasional tear but remained largely empty. He pushed her lightly into an empty cell and typed the combination in the panel to close the door. She turned and watched the cell door close behind her.

'What's your name?' Jack asked softly.

She continued to stare blankly at the door, his words unable to break through her reverie.

'Hey,' he tapped the glass door, 'Your name?'

She raised her eyes to his slowly, 'Does it matter?'

Jack shrugged, 'Well I gotta call you somethin' don't I? Unless you want me to name you myself...I'm thinking in a Gertrude direction...'

'It's Ray.'

'See. Now we're getting somewhere.'

She swallowed visibly, 'What are you going to do with me?'

He gazed at her levelly, 'I don't know.'

She bit her lip to stop it trembling, 'It's okay. I know what I've done; I don't deserve to leave here.'

'It wasn't you who did this, it was...whoever else is in there,' he gestured to her head, 'once we figure out how to...remove her or...what you can do-. We'll see how it goes.'

She nodded, a tear rolling off of her cheek with the movement, 'I'm never going to leave here.'

'Don't think like that. I'm sure we can figure something out. You've got to help us though; we can't destroy her without your help.'

She snorted, 'You can't destroy her. She was me.'

'What do you mean?'

She looked up at him, 'Nothing,' she turned and lay back on the stone bench, 'it's hopeless.'

* * *

Jack walked slowly up to the main hub, pondering over what Ray had said- what had she meant? He shook himself out of his reverie and joined his team.

'Suzie! Any progress on that glove?' Jack called out.

'Nothing yet. Still no response since the last time I tried it.'

'Well, keep at it. It's sure to come in handy some day.'

He took the stairs to his office two at a time, passing Toshiko and Owen on the way; he stopped to look over the technician's shoulder, 'What cha got there, Toshiko?

'I've been running all sorts of scans on the girl-'

'Ray, her name's Ray.'

'-on Ray, and I'm not quite sure how it's possible.'

Jack gestured for her to continue.

'At first I thought it was just the scanner but I've run a comprehensive diagnostic and there's nothing wrong with them...'

'So what's the issue?'

'Well,' she brought up two sets of data on the screen, 'this is what a normal brain waves look like- a singular wave- and this is Ray's data.'

'What is that?'

Tosh shook her head, 'I've never seen anything like it. It's like her brain functions on a single and double wavelength at the same time.'

Jack frowned, 'So simply put...each consciousness is aware of the other?'

'Pretty much from what I can tell. I'd go as far as to say that they could… communicate.'

* * *

_You had it coming, Ray. _

She opened her eyes and groaned inwardly, 'Go away.'

_It's your own fault, you know. If you hadn't made us like this I wouldn't have-_

'But you did, and you have,' she screamed at the ceiling, 'Just leave me alone, Lia.'

_Stop treating me like a different person. This is the whole problem you can't just lock the bad side to your personality away. It's destroying you and me. Why can't you understand that? We belong together, Ray. The way we were. _

'But you scared me,' she felt the tears spilling down her face, 'I don't want to be anything like you,' she sank to the floor.

_I didn't scare you, you scared yourself. But why should I? Look at what we can do. We're unbeatable, we're brilliant, and we can-_

'Please. Just go away.'

* * *

'Jack I think you should see this,' Owen called out; 'Check the cell monitor.'

Jack pulled up the CCTV and stared at the screen, frowning when the girl sank to the floor.

'What are we going to do with her, Jack?' Owen asked, 'We can't keep her down there.'

'Why not?' interjected Suzie, 'In case you've forgotten, Owen, she went on a killing spree in the middle of Cardiff.'

'We can't keep her locked up down there forever. She's a human being,' Tosh stated, 'No one should be locked up like that. Especially with the weevils.'

'She can rot down there for all I care!' Suzie snorted, 'I'll sleep better at night knowing there isn't a telepathic psycho on the loose.'

'Jack, what are we doing with her?' Tosh asked, ignoring Suzie, 'She's a person. She's not like the other things down there.'

Jack looked at them all levelly, 'We're going to need to figure out a schedule. She's going to need round the clock surveillance, food, bathroom breaks, and showers...anything I've missed out?'

'Can we make her more comfortable? Maybe get things from her flat?' Tosh nodded, scribbling quickly in a jotter, 'But would that cause another relapse do you think?'

'We'll sort that out later...just get the basic needs covered first.'

'I'll work on a rota,' Tosh nodded at Jack.

'And I'll go pack away her life...' Jack added to himself.

* * *

She didn't even look up as he opened her cell; she shivered lightly as a wash of cold air covered her.

'I need the key to your apartment.'

'My flat.'

Jack chuckled, 'Curse this language barrier!'

She snorted as she reached into her pocket, 'I wouldn't have thought you were the 'key' type.'

'No not usually,' Jack shrugged, 'but I thought, hell, why not?'

'Can I-...nothing.'

'What is it?'

Ray looked up at Jack carefully, biting her lip with apprehension, 'I was wondering, could I...have some stuff from our- my flat?'

'Within reason I suppose.'

She frowned, 'My laptop and its charger…my journal and stationary, a book- it's called Valiant. The picture frame by my bed as well…'

He nodded and began to walk away.

'Wait. What- what are you going to do with the rest of our- my things?'

'Put them into storage. They'll be safe.'

She nodded, 'What about my flat? My job? My…family?'

He looked down at the floor, 'We'll make you disappear.'

'You make it sound as though you do this a lot.'

'More than I'd like to admit,' he looked at her steadily, 'you're one of the lucky ones...you're actually alive.'

She swallowed, 'That's a little intimidating to hear.'

'It's a little overwhelming to admit.'

She took in a shuddering breath and handed her keys over, tears springing to her eyes as she watched him leave the room.

* * *

As he returned to the main hub, coat tails sweeping behind him Toshiko tapped him on the shoulder.

'I've finished the rota for Ray; shall I leave it on your desk?'

'No, no. I'll look over it now quickly,' he took the sheet from her and his eyes darted over the page, 'You put Owen on breakfast? You think that's a wise idea?'

Tosh coloured, 'You're right, I wasn't thinking properly. I'll be in charge of breakfast and I'll give Owen the dinner shift instead.'

'Looks good to me, Tosh. Can you see about rigging up some extra surveillance monitors just so we have visual access to her constantly?

'Of course, not a problem.'

Jack nodded, 'Okay then, tell everyone their role on the rota and then...get back to whatever you were doing.'

'Where are you going now?'

'Clean up,' Jack sighed, 'I'll take care of her life.'

* * *

'Alright, Princess. Grubs up,' Owen dumped a plate of Chinese Takeaway unceremoniously onto a tray, 'Hope you like sweet and sour.'

She looked up at the medic, 'Sorry, but I'm not hungry.'

Owen shrugged, 'Makes no difference if you want to starve yourself darlin', but as a Doctor I'd advise strongly against it.'

'Thanks,' she pulled the tray over, 'but my stomach is in knots. I don't think I'll be able too.'

'Please yourself then,' Owen shuffled out of the cell, 'I'll leave it there anyway.'

She watched as he let himself out of the room.

_See. He couldn't wait to get out of here. No one wants to be around a murderer._

'Shut up, Lia. You're the murderer, not me.'

_I am you. I'm the dark side of you. Every annoyance, anger, greed, glutton, lust, desire and anything damn right immoral that you've ever thought of. _

'I'm nothing like that.'

_Everyone's like that! Everyone has these weird little passing thoughts. It's healthy. What's a mind if it doesn't wander, if it doesn't indulge from time to time? _

'Just shut the hell up!'

'Wow, I didn't even say anything yet.'

Ray gasped, 'Jack, oh, I didn't-, I mean I wasn't talking to you.'

Jack blinked at her before shrugging and opening the cell door, 'Okay! Laptop with charger, notebook with stationary, book and…photo,' he paused setting down the photo frame next to her other belongings, 'And I even had the foresight to bring your phone charger!'

'Thank you.'

'Were you talking to the other you?'

Ray shrunk backwards, 'How did you-?'

'I have lots of clever machines and a very clever person who created them.'

She nodded dumbly, 'Yeah, she won't shut up.'

Jack chuckled, 'I hate a broad that won't stop talking...there are so many better things you can do with a mouth, you know?'

She stared at him mutely.

'Wow. Okay no innuendo yet, got it,' Jack spotted the full plate on the floor, 'what's up? Not hungry?'

She shook her head, 'I feel like throwing up.'

'Yeah, I know what that's like,' he placed a hand on her arm, 'it's okay. You don't have to eat if you don't want. Just try to eat a little soon, deal?'

Ray nodded again.

'Okay, well if you need me just holler and I'll come running- hopefully with the coat on, it's a sight I can tell you that,' he winked at her, 'Don't you worry. We'll fix this.'

She snorted, 'Who knows?'

'C'mon, I'm Captain Jack Harkness. I always land on my feet.'

'But I'm not you; I don't know how I'm going to land...'

Jack frowned, 'We'll talk about this tomorrow. You should get some sleep now.'

She sighed and laid back on the bench, 'G'night then.'

'Sweet dreams,' he turned and walked out of the cell block leaving her to the inevitable tears and nightmares that would follow.


	3. Hello Jones, Ianto Jones

***Re- Written Version***

Ray jumped up and down at her cell door, 'Jaaaaaaack! Where are you?' she waved her arms in front of the camera designed to watch her, 'For fuck sake. You're supposed to be watching me 24/7 you wankers.'

She heard the door open behind her, 'One minute I'm doing paperwork the next I hear that we're "wankers" can this day get any better?'

'Jack. Let me out I'm going to wet myself!' She watched as the Captain fought the urge to laugh and opened her door, 'I'll ignore the fact you nearly smiled,' she yelled running through to the bathroom.

'Why are you so desperate? Wasn't Suzie-'

She screamed in frustration, 'Don't get me started on Suzie fucking Costello.'

'What'd she do this time?' he watched as she stormed back into her cell, face lit up in anger.

'Was there an emergency today, Jack? Rift related?'

'Not that I-'

'They forgot about me. I'm a human, Jack! I'm not the Torchwood pet,' she growled in frustration, 'I might as well be a sodding weevil from the way Costello looks at me,' she paced around the cell, 'Where's the humanity you promised me, eh?'

'I'm sure she had a valid reason.'

She screamed again, 'Open your eyes, Jack! They all hate looking after me. I'm a burden to them. And I'm bored out of my skull. Four months in the same cell can really start to get to you.'

Jack leant against the door frame, 'You know, sometimes I wonder where the shivering little sweet girl I once knew went.'

'She became as bitter as her other half in this cell!'

'Taking lessons from Lia then?'

She snorted, 'Lessons? All I get is non- stop chatter these days, she's bound to rub off on me.'

'And you on her?'

Ray stopped, 'What?'

'Seems to me like you two are getting along...'

'Eat those words, Harkness. As if I would ever get along with her.'

Jack smiled, 'I found that only the best of friends argue so fiercely.'

'Oh, and do best friends go on a killing spree?'

'Ouch, okay didn't think that one through.'

Ray snorted, 'Sometimes I find it hard to imagine you think at all.'

Jack clutched his chest dramatically, 'Oh cruel woman! Is there no end to the barrage of profanity today!' he chuckled, 'You've just lost a bedtime story missy!'

'Oh shucks, it sucks to be me!'

He laughed as the rift alarm went off, 'Maybe I'll tell you another time, kiddo. Daddy's gotta work,' he turned to leave, 'Maybe I'll bring you back a companion.'

'Oh gee, please Daddy don't spoil me with anotherweevil!'

* * *

Jack almost laughed as he set the weevil down in the cell three along from the now sleeping Ray. Frowning, he turned his thoughts to Ianto Jones, how on earth did he know what a Weevil was? And how the hell did he look so good in those jeans?

'Maybe he's psychic...and attractive?'

Jack chuckled, 'Ray's gonna kill you if you give her bags again, Lia.'

She smirked at him, her eyes flashing red, 'It's because I can't resist you, Jack.'

He rolled his eyes, 'How do you do that with the eyes? I've always wondered and...Ray's too touchy to talk about anything to do with you.'

Lia frowned, 'She really hates me, huh?'

'Eyes?'

'It's because our old eye colour was completely different when we were...just one person.'

Jack smiled, 'Really? What colour?'

'Maybe you'll see one day...'

Jack rolled his eyes, 'At least you're turning into the optimistic one. Go to bed! Ray will go nuts.'

'Worried about me Jack? How sweet,' she flashed him a killer smile.

'Hardly. Now, go to bed,' he turned and walked back to the main hub.

* * *

Jack ground his palms into his eyes; he'd been up all night searching out information on Ianto Jones. He yawned and drummed his fingers against Tosh's keyboard. He was feeling irritated at the lack of information, or lack of interesting information. The most exciting thing he'd managed to drag up was that he'd had a shoplifting conviction in his teens, that and he worked for Torchwood one. But that was more irritating that interesting. He sighed again, scanning the page he'd brought up randomly a few words caught his eye: Girlfriend: Lisa Hallett. Jack shook himself at the flare of jealously that arose when he read those words.

'You've been alive for longer than you'd care to remember, why the hell are you getting jealous over no-one?' he sighed again, 'I need to get a grip.'

The proximity alarm sounded as Tosh walked in, 'Morning, Jack. Nice night?'

'You know it,' he answered with a wink, closing the windows on Tosh's monitor, 'anything predicted for the rift today?'

'If my programme is right we could be in for a busy day.'

'Fantastic.'

* * *

'Right,' Owen sighed, 'better take the Princess her dinner.'

Jack leapt up from his desk, 'Can I take it down?'

Owen squinted at Jack, 'Sure. It's the most annoying part of my day anyway.'

'What'd you get her?'

Owen shrugged, 'Takeout. Sweet and sour.'

'She seems to have a lot of that...' Jack grabbed the tray out of Owen's arms and walked it down to the cell block.

'Why, Jack, how rare of you to bring me dinner,' Ray sprung up from the bench and rushed to the door, 'what's the occasion?'

Jack shrugged, 'Nothing special,' he set the tray on the bench.

'You're avoiding paperwork aren't you,' it wasn't a question.

'Hasn't it occurred to you that I just might-… yeah,' he chuckled, 'UNIT won't stop riding me about my lack of reports.'

'That's strange,' she frowned in mock seriousness, 'usually you love to be ridden,' she grinned at him as he threw back his head and laughed.

'I'm definitely turning out to be a bad influence on you.'

Ray shrugged, 'I was already a bad influence on myself.'

They both groaned when they heard Tosh's voice crackle in their ears, 'Jack there's been rift activity by the docks. It looks like something pretty big has come through.'

Jack tapped the comm. in his ear, 'On my way Tosh. Tell Owen to warm up the SUV for me.'

'Who do you want with you?'

'I'll go alone, shouldn't be too difficult,' he stood up and kissed Ray on the forehead, 'Dinner'll have to wait.'

'Want me to wait up?' she smiled up at him.

'Nah, besides you need your beauty sleep,' he grinned as he left the cells, chuckling as he heard her curse at his back.

* * *

'There you go, baby,' he stroked the pterodactyl's beak, 'Nice and cosy. Just wait till you get to stretch your wings,' he padded out of the enclosure and worked his way down the ladder.

'Owen, what are you still doing here?' he frowned at the medic, 'Aren't you usually in the bed of some unwitting girl by now?'

Owen snorted, 'I could say the same to you.'

'What's on your mind, Owen?'

'The Little Princess in the basement. Are we really going to be able to keep this up, Jack? It's not healthy...'

'Are you really concerned? Or are you more concerned about having to look after her,' Jack deadpanned.

'Both, actually,' Owen shifted in his seat, 'It feels…immoral.'

'Since when did you grow a conscious?'

'I'm serious here. I am a Doctor you realise?'

Jack nodded, 'I know, I know. Don't worry about the rota anymore…I've hired someone new. I can get him to take over full time.'

'What did you do? Order an office toy?'

Jack laughed, 'He came after me actually.'

'God help us,' Owen snorted, 'well then. I think I might go look for some bird's bed after all,' he gave a short smile to Jack, 'See you in the morning.'

Jack nodded as he watched the cog door open and Owen disappear through it. He let out a huge sigh, tonight had been...fun. Jack caught himself smiling as he walked into his office, 'I can't remember when I had that much fun.'

He shook himself, 'Snap out of it, Harkness. Anyone would think you were a school girl with a crush!'

07:30 rolled around and Jack was surprised to hear the tourist office buzzer sound, 'Sir, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to report for work when I have no access into the building.'

Jack grinned at the tinny voice, 'I'll be right up.'

He restrained himself from running up to the tourist office, resisting the urge to fling the door open. .

Ianto smiled at him, 'Good morning, Sir,' he offered Jack a mug of coffee, 'Coffee?'

Jack took the mug, wondering whether this mug would be as orgasmic as the last. It was, 'Jones, Ianto Jones how do you do it?'

'Magic, Sir,' Ianto smiled at him, 'Shall we get started with what you had in mind for me?'

Jack raised his eyebrows suggestively at Ianto, 'I wouldn't want to make a mess in the doorway of the tourist office.'

'That's harassment, Sir,' he stepped into the office, 'You'll have to watch yourself, Sir. I'll have the union on you.'

Jack laughed at the dryness to Ianto's voice, 'I was thinking...I'd show you around my humble abode then do a run through of your requirements,' Jack eyed up his suit. God he looked tasty.

'Sounds perfect, Sir.'

* * *

'You got all that?' Jack glanced at his wrist strap, it was nearly midday.

'I'm fairly certain I can find my way around this…cosy base,' Ianto coughed.

'Cosy?' Jack pouted.

Ianto chuckled, 'And I'm fairly certain I can fulfil all the requirements.'

'Ah,' Jack held up his hand, 'I haven't shown you the most important responsibility yet.'

'Oh?' Ianto raised his eyebrow, 'What might that be?'

'Follow me,' Jack led him down to the cells, 'Before I show you just remember one thing.'

'What would that be, Sir?' Ianto smiled vaguely at Jack.

'It was necessary,' he swung the door back and a huge grin lit up his face as he heard the music spill out from the cell.

_*Can we bring yesterday back around? 'Cause I know how I feel about you now. I was dumb, I was wrong, I let you down. But I know how I feel about you now.*_

Jack coughed and Ray span around, 'Jack! Jesus. You scared the hell out of me!' she giggled and moved closer to the door, a frown appearing on her face when she caught sight of Ianto, 'Who's he?'

Jack turned to Ianto, 'Ianto Jones meet Ray. She's a permanent resident here.'

The words caught in Ianto's mouth as he looked at the girl in the cell.

Ray grimaced as she watched Ianto's mouth open and close, 'Jack, don't you think it's too soon for-'

'You're his responsibility now...'

She flinched, 'Am I that much of a burden? You had to hire my own nanny?'

'Don't be silly,' he opened the cell door, 'it's just that we're not always here if you need us. I thought you might like something more stable.'

Ray smiled weakly, 'That's a hell of an excuse.'

Ianto cleared his throat reminding them of his presence, 'Not to sound so insensitive but…what am I supposed to do?'

Ray turned to Jack, 'Is he going to be in charge of everything?'

Jack nodded, 'Pretty much, yeah.'

'Can I tell him what I need? Like...make up my own way for things to be done?' she stopped and looked at Ianto briefly, 'do we even know what his skills are?'

Ianto coughed again, 'I can assure you, Miss, that I have a comprehensive set of skills that are above par.'

Ray grimaced, 'Urgh, we're dropping the 'Miss' and we're replacing it with 'Ray',' she smiled, 'I think you're gonna be good. You look nice in that suit.'

Jack chuckled as colour brushed across Ianto's face, 'Don't I just know it.'

Ray chuckled, 'You're such a predator,' the smile slipped from her face, 'I'm going to have to tell him...aren't I,' she sighed, 'Ianto...?'

'Jones.'

'Ianto Jones,' she looked him in the eye, 'the reasons for why I am here are...complicated and...long. The most important thing you need to know is that I have someone else in my head.'

Ianto frowned, 'Like...schizophrenia?'

'More like multiple personalities,' she looked at Jack who merely nodded, 'and my other personality has...abilities.'

'Abilities?'

She nodded, 'Telepathic, telekinetic...occasionally clairvoyant and psychic. But she's dangerous. She's every bad thought, feeling, action I've ever had bottled into one person.'

Jack stepped in front of her, 'We're working on a way to eliminate the abilities...or at least reach a stage in her psychological wellbeing that allows us to trust her enough to be let into society.'

Ray snorted, 'But the only way that will happen is if the two personalities merge into one...and since one is a psychopathic murderer...I'll never be able to live in real life again...'

Ianto nodded, struggling to take in the information while maintaining a straight face, 'I understand. What exactly would you like me to do for you?'


	4. Sleeping Sickness

***Re-written version***

She blinked furiously, trying to dislodge the feverish visions that had been tormenting her since Ianto had switched off the light. She shuddered, forcing herself into a tighter ball.

'Rise and shine!'

The light blinked on causing a searing pain to rip across her skull, 'Jesus.'

Ianto strode in, the aroma of her morning coffee filling the cell, 'Got your wake up call right here.'

Ray opened her eyes a slit and felt her brain scream in protest, 'Thanks…I think,' she swung her legs over the bench and tried not to shake her head.

'Eggs scrambled, white toast on the side smothered in butter a coffee and a glass of orange juice,' Ianto almost beamed, 'I told you not to worry about my qualifications.'

'Is the light brighter than usual?'

Ianto frowned, 'Not unless they've been replaced...are you okay?'

'Yeah, just peachy,' she stood up only to be met by the cold floor seconds later. She registered the sound of her breakfast smashing on the floor next to her, and a pair of hands hauling her upright before darkness enclosed her.

* * *

'Owen, have you managed to identify that substance th-' Jack was interrupted by a cry from the stair well.

'Owen! I need help here,' Ianto yelled, the girl draped loosely in his arms.

Owen ran over to Ianto stopping short when he saw Ray, 'Why is she up here?'

'She passed out. She has a fever and it's really high.'

Owen nodded letting his instinct take over. He grabbed the girl and put her on the autopsy table.

'What are you doing?'

Ianto twirled around to see Jack stood very close to him, 'She- she passed out, Sir. I couldn't just-'

'Why didn't you call for Owen over the comm. system?'

Ianto faltered, 'I- I'm sorry I wasn't thinking.'

Jack grunted, 'Clearly not. You do understand that in this state she's more volatile than ever?'

'But, Sir, she's passed out she's hardly a threat.'

'We have no idea what she's capable of. You might have put us all in danger by bringing her up here.'

Ianto snorted, 'She could get out if she wanted too. As if a locked door is going to stand in her way.'

Jack growled and walked away, leaving Ianto and the medic to tend to the girl.

'Her fever's spiking at 106...shit,' Owen ripped off the cover he had placed on her and began exposing as much flesh as he could.

Ianto grabbed his arms, 'What are you doing?'

'We've got to bring her temperature down if she hits 107 she's at serious risk of lingering effects or…death. And I know I'm a bloody fantastic Doctor, but even I can't cure that.'

Ianto let his eyes briefly wander over to follow the direction Jack had gone before snapping them back to the girl on the table. Now wasn't a brilliant time to ponder over his discovery in the archives, 'What do you need me to do?'

'Get a jug of cool water, not cold though.'

Ianto nodded and set off on his mission.

'Why are you going along with this?'

Owen didn't need to look up to see Jack staring down at him, 'No matter what she did, Jack, she's still a human. And I'm still a Doctor.'

Jack raised his eyebrows, 'Why the sudden compassion?'

'It's not that I didn't care,' Owen looked down at the girl.

Ianto ran back down the stairs brandishing a bowl of water and a tea towel, 'Now what?'

'Make a cold compress,' Owen checked her temperature again, 'She seems to be stable at 105.'

'I'll keep an eye on her if you have other things to be doing,' Ianto deadpanned, 'I know you've been working on something in the hot house.'

Owen nodded, 'Call me if she gets worse.'

Ianto watched the medic make his way out of the bay, trying to avoid looking at Jack. Ianto placed the compress on the girls head, 'you idiot,' he shook his head, 'You could have said you didn't feel well.'

Jack watched the Welshman tending over Ray for a few minutes before sighing and heading up to his office to watch them on the CCTV.

* * *

She could hear muffled shouts from above her bringing her out of the darkness, she tried to cling onto it, tried to slip back into it, but the voices were too loud and too harsh.

'Absolutely not, you've caused enough trouble today.'

'It's for one night; Owen said she needed to be watched over and I hardly think you're going to.'

'It's out of the question.'

She opened her eyes and saw a world of metal. She blinked, this wasn't her sat up and took in her surroundings. Medical equipment, beeping noises, and lots of silver...she shook her head.

'I don't care, Sir, I don't need to know the finer details. It's in my contract to look after her well being, and I think this falls under that category.'

She turned her head to the left seeing two pairs of legs at her eye level, Jack and Ianto. She nodded and swung her legs off the metal table giving herself a minute to adjust.

_You shouldn't be moving around, Ray._

She stood up and took a few tentative steps towards the staircase, shaking her head to rid herself of the dizziness.

_Ray, I really don't think you should do that._

She shook her head again, trying to rid herself of Lia, and took the first few steps.

'Maybe I'm just going to have to revoke your duties then!'

She took the next step.

'You can't, Sir. It was a legal and binding contract.'

She fell over the last step and lay splayed out at the men's feet, 'Stop arguing. Some people are trying to sleep,' she mumbled into the floor.

Ianto picked her up from the floor carefully, 'Idiot,' he mumbled under his breath. He swapped her position so he was carrying her Princess style, 'I'm taking her home, Sir,' he stared Jack in the eye.

'Like hell you are,' he took the girl from Ianto, 'She's staying here.'

'Then I'm staying with her.'

Jack groaned and began walking towards the cells, 'Why are you so adamant about this?' Jack spun around to face the Welshman, 'You hardly socialise with the rest of the team so why are you so willing to spend extra time with her?'

Ianto shrugged, 'She's my-... I need to look after her.'

Jack stared at Ianto with a look of disdain on his face. Ianto had been here hardly a month and he was already defying him, and what angered Jack more was that he was letting him get away with it, 'Get your stuff. You can set yourself up in a cell nearby.'

'But-'

'It's that or nothing. Your choice.'

Ianto took the girl back off of Jack, 'Thank you, Sir.'

Jack watched as the Welshman trotted off with Ray.

'You'd have kicked my arse if I'd pulled that stunt,' Owen chuckled, 'why are you letting tea-boy get away with it?'

Jack pondered for a minute before grinning at Owen, 'He looks incredibly sexy, angry and in a suit.'

Owen shook his head, 'You're a sick man, Harkness.'

Jack laughed as he made his way to his office, 'All part of my charm, Owen,' he shouted as he closed the door behind him, all the mirth falling from his face.

* * *

Ianto placed her on her bed and began to remove her shoes.

'Bad idea.'

Ianto looked up at her, 'What is?'

'You. Staying here.'

'Why?'

'I'm no good. I'm dangerous. I don't want you to see.'

'See what?' Ianto looked into the girls face, 'Ray? See what?'

Her chest rose and fell steadily.

Ianto frowned at her, 'I still don't understand,' he whispered back to the sleeping girl.

* * *

Ianto was pulled out of his slumber by an ear splitting scream that filled the room. He jumped off his camp bed and ran into her cell, 'Ray?' he called out tentatively.

'No. No. No. No,' she screamed out over and over.

'Ray, calm down! It's just a dream,' he moved towards her.

She screamed again and leapt up off the bed, 'Don't touch me!' she hissed, 'I'm a monster.'

Ianto moved closer again, 'You are not a monster. I promise,' he held out his hand, 'Trust me.'

'You don't know anything. Nothing!'

Jack burst into the room and rushed into the cell, grabbing Ray in his arms he began to sing a strange song softly. The girl struggled in his arms, thrashing and hitting Jack with all her strength, tears streaming down her face.

'C'mon Ray, let's see those beautiful violets,' Jack whispered.

'No!' she emitted a blood curdling scream and Jack was flung against the wall, an invisible force pinning him to the spot.

Ianto saw her eyes flash purple, 'Let him go, Ray.'

The girl looked momentarily confused, 'I'm not-'

Her eyes faded back to blue and she slumped on the floor, Ianto felt himself being released and watched her body as it was wracked with sobs.

'Oh, Jack,' she crawled over to Jack, who was slumped against the wall, 'I'm sorry,' she placed kisses on his face, cradling him in her arms, 'Come back now. You'll worry Ianto otherwise.'

Jack took in a big breath of air and grabbed the girl in front of him, 'Knocked me out good and proper that time!' he turned to Ianto, 'I said it was a bad idea.'

'What- what just happened?'

Ray sniffed, 'Night terror.'

Ianto shook his head, 'No, you pinned us to the wall...I thought only Lia could do that.'

Jack snorted, 'This is why she can't leave here. They're unpredictable,' he looked at Ray, 'Even more so with a fever.'

She blushed; 'I wasn't that bad tonight...' she turned to Ianto, 'I could have killed you.'

Ianto shook his head, 'But you didn't,' he felt her forehead, 'And your fever seems to have gone.'

She smiled weakly.

Ianto lifted her back onto her bed, 'Go to sleep, you still need to rest.'

'Wait,' she grabbed his arm, 'I'm sorry, I-' she took a breath, 'I killed people.'

Jack stood up, 'Ray.'

Ianto nodded, 'I know, you told me bef-'

'No. I-' she closed her eyes, tears falling from the corners, 'I killed my lover.'

Ianto stared at the Ray, 'You...what?'

Jack leant over her, 'You don't have to talk about this now.'

Ray shook her head, 'It was Lia technically, but I still saw it happen. Saw the blood. And I couldn't stop her...'

Ianto shook his head, 'But that wasn't you. That wasn't-'

'Until I accept what I am, I can never be free from the cells. And even when I do I can never be free from the hub entirely…I have to be one of Torchwood's collectables.'

Ianto looked over at Jack who was nodding grimly.

'We better let her get some rest,' Jack patted Ianto on the shoulder and led him out of her cell. Jack led them both up to the main part of the hub and sat Ianto down on the sofa, 'Coffee?'

Ianto shook his head, 'I should do that, Sir.'

Jack sat on the sofa next to him, 'It's pretty hard to take in sometimes.'

'I forget that she's a...prisoner. She's so cheerful during the day time.'

'She's been having...episodes since we brought her in,' Jack sighed, 'I wanted to get a psychological consult, but she begged me not to tell anyone...she said she'd had them since she split with Lia.'

Ianto frowned, 'Including the psychic bit?'

'No...that's apparently a side effect from Lia's escapade,' Jack straightened up, 'I'm pretty sure you owe me an apology.'

Ianto's eyebrows shot up, 'Excuse me, Sir?'

'For talking back to a superior, and defying orders,' Jack stared at him, 'Your apology?'

'I can only apologise for saying the way I handled the situation. Not for defying you.'

'And why is that?'

'Because I believe you were wrong, Sir.'

Jack nodded, 'Noted. However, after seeing what happened to Ray tonight can you understand why I didn't want you staying with her?'

'I do, Sir.'

Jack grinned wickedly, 'Then apologise in full.'

'I refuse to adhere to your pride, Sir,' Ianto stood up.

'I think you're the proud one here, Ianto,' Jack went to stand behind him.

The Welshman felt his body trying to lean into Jack's and willed himself still, 'Why is that, Sir?'

Jack chuckled, 'Well. I can tell every fibre of your being wants to touch me right now and you're too proud to let yourself go.'

'I don't know what you mean-' Ianto shuddered as he felt Jack's breath ghost his ear.

'Come on, Jones. Just let yourself go...'

Ianto turned, capturing Jacks mouth with his own, pushing him backwards towards the sofa. Jack stood his ground and responded with as much passion as Ianto; God the Welshman knew how to kiss. Jack smiled into the kiss as he felt Ianto almost melt beside him. The kiss grew into a game for the Jack, one he was sure he would win. Jack pushed against Ianto, manoeuvring them away from the sofa and towards Tosh's desk. Jack pinned Ianto and moaned into the welshman's mouth, he was definitely going to win. Jack pressed his body closer to Ianto's nearly laughing when the younger man moaned back into his mouth. Jack ran his hand down Ianto's torso making his way to his belt buckle when Ianto shoved him away harshly.

'That- I didn't- I'm- Sorry,' he stuttered, 'I can't-'

Jack watched bemused as Ianto turned scarlet and practically ran towards the cells. He laughed silently to himself. He was definitely going to have to try that again.


	5. I Am What I Am

***Re-written version***

**#**I am what I am. I am my own special creation. So, come take a look, give me the hook or the ovation#

Ray yawned into her toast, 'God, I'm tired. Why do you have to come get me so early? Ever heard of a lie in? I swear I haven't had one since...Jeez. I don't even remember. You are such a slave driver,' she took a bite, 'anff I know I tolfd you to get mee upf at 10.'

Ianto frowned, 'Don't speak with your mouth full.'

Ray opened her mouth wide and gave Ianto an eyeful of chewed up toast, 'Suck it.'

'I'd rather not...' Ianto shut her mouth by pushing her jaw up with his hand, 'You wouldn't complain about getting up this early if you actually went to bed at a decent time.'

Ray snorted, spraying crumbs, 'Hypocrite. You're here more than I am and I bloody live here!'

'Which means that can't possibly be true,' Ianto wrinkled his nose, 'When did your table manner become so charming.'

'Har har,' she stuck her tongue out at him, 'You know they say sarcasm is the lowest form of wit?'

'The only people who say that are the people who can't comprehend it… you know? Idiots.'

She scowled at him, 'Watch it, Jones. Don't make me make Lia kick your arse.'

He smiled, 'I think you're secretly beginning to like Lia.'

She threw a piece of toast at his head, 'Don't be saying things you can't take back, dear.'

Ianto rolled his eyes, 'Or what?'

Ray grinned wickedly, 'Oh...you never know what tricks I have up my sleeve, Jones.'

'You're not wearing any sleeves.'

She rolled her eyes in a typical Ianto Jones fashion.

'And I also think my habits are beginning to rub off on you…'

'Oh really? You think?' she rolled her eyes again, 'Maybe you're right. But hey, bound to happen really.'

Ianto chuckled, 'So, now you're done with the massacre that was breakfast...Shower?'

'Thought you'd never ask,' she grinned at him as she grabbed her towel.

'Yeah, yeah. Don't leave without me,' he grabbed her CD player, 'Couldn't you have got a lighter CD player?'

'I've had that for years. Get over it. You're young.'

Ianto grimaced, 'I have a feeling this player is older than me...'

'Impossible! I'm younger than you,' she bobbed up and down, 'C'mon, don't make me call Jack down here.'

Ianto snorted, 'And that's a threat because?'

She giggled, 'You're going red.'

'What?'

'Now you definitely are. Don't worry. Your secrets are safe with me.'

Ianto shook his head, 'Haliwr.'

'Language, Jones!'

'How do you know what I said?'

She smiled, 'You only say that word when someone has pissed you off mightily. Now come on! Shower!'

* * *

#It's my world that I want to have a little pride in. My world, and it's not a place I have to hide in. Life's not worth a damn. Till you can say "Hey world, I am what I am."#

'Put track number 12 on,' she yelled over the water.

'Why?'

'Just do it! I wanna see something.'

Ianto stood up and changed the track, 'what's going to change?'

'Just wait!'

_Da da da da da da da_

Ray smiled at Lia singing, she shook herself briefly. She did not like Lia...did she? It's true that the animosity she had felt for Lia had decreased over the months...and she had resorted to talking to her when she had gotten bored of doing everything else she had in her miniscule room. But was she really ready to accept her?

The door burst open to reveal Jack striding in.

'I knew it! I knew you'd be watching.'

Jack smiled, _'Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere.' _

Ianto looked down at his book, trying to ignore the fact that Jack had burst in and started singing.

Ray smiled from under the faucet at Jack, _'Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit. He took the midnight train going anywhere._ I hope you realise you're ridiculously predictable.'

'Predictable? Since when? Only last night you were complimenting me on my spontaneity,' Jack smiled at her and flicked his eyes towards Ianto, 'Ianto, do you think I'm predictable?'

Ianto slipped on his impenetrable mask, 'Rather the opposite, Sir.'

Jack raised his eyebrows, 'Exactly. I'm sorry, Ray, you've been outvoted.'

She scoffed, 'It's two against two, that's hardly a consensus. More of a draw.'

Jack's grin slipped off his mouth, 'Two? You mean Lia?'

Ray nodded, shampoo running down the nape of her neck, 'Yah huh. She agrees with me.'

Ianto snorted, 'She would.'

Jack strode over to him, 'Ianto, how long have you known that Ray and Lia have been getting along?'

'I don't know, Sir,' Ianto took a step back, putting some distance between them; 'She's been mentioning Lia more over the last couple of weeks.'

Jack nodded and frowned, subconsciously biting his bottom lip causing Ianto to stare.

* * *

#I am what I am; I don't want praise I don't want pity. I bang my own drum some think it's noise, I think its pretty#

_Have you noticed how far Ianto's standing from Jack?_

Ray lowered her voice so she couldn't be heard over the running water, 'Have you noticed how long they've both been in here for?'

_True. Wouldn't Ianto have told you it's time to get out by now? _

Ray laughed softly, 'Or else I'll start looking like a prune!'

_I'm not so bad after all, am I Ray._

'No, I suppose you're not...but what does this mean? Are you...we still...you know...'

_Psychopathic? I don't know. I haven't wanted to kill anyone...and I'm starting to feel as though the sight of blood will make me recoil than...you know...laugh. _

'I dunno. I know I'm more pessimistic than I used to be...maybe it's all just balancing out...'

_Do you really think even we will ever be able to figure it out?_

'I suppose not...will it be better? Being...together?'

_Oh, Ray. Don't you remember how we were before you got scared? Don't you remember what we could do? What we still could do? You could be great you know...it's all here in your head..._

Ray laughed, 'Are you seriously quoting Harry sodding Potter to me? That seriously is messed up.'

_You know I am sorry. About everything. _

'I know you are...I just...I don't know if I can forgive you...forgive myself.'

_Forgiveness can come after can't it? If you can accept something...surely you can eventually forgive as well? _

Ray nodded, almost laughing at the song that came on, 'This is somewhat appropriate don't you think?'

_Almost like an introduction..._

'Or a theme song.'

_How about...it's our song..._

Ray chuckled, 'Won't it just become my song once we're together?'

_No, it'll still be our song...I'm scared, Ray._

'Excuse me? This is your idea!'

_I know...but...we'll both disappear..._

'No we won't. We'll just blend together...both of us still there.'

_Goodbye, Ray._

'Goodbye, Lia. See you on the flip side.'

* * *

#Life's not worth a damn, till you can say "Hey world, I am what I am!"#

Ianto leapt over the shower cubicle and banged on the door, 'Ray!'

Jack was at his side in a second the girl had doubled up and was holding her head, gasping for air. Opening the door Jack reached in to take the girl out when she straightened up and lifted her face up to the two men, her eyes closed.

Ianto took her face in his hands, 'Ray, what's wrong? Talk to me!'

She smiled slowly, 'I am what I am,' she opened her eyes, grinning widely at the curious expressions on the men's faces.'

Jack was the first one to speak, 'Ray...you- your-'

She tutted, 'You gonna hand me a towel anytime soon?'

Ianto grabbed a towel from the rail and held it up to her, 'Ray you-'

The girl laughed, 'No, Ianto,' she affixed the towel to her body, and held out her hand, 'I'm Araylia,' she ginned at them both, the smile reaching all the way to her violet eyes.

Ianto and Jack stared blankly at her, each of their expressions a mirror of the others. Jack blinked, 'What just happened?'

Araylia sighed, 'Always why! Anyone think you were British!' she shook her head, 'I'm just me now. There's no we anymore.'

'What does that mean?'

She turned to look at Ianto, 'What else can it mean? I thought you were smart Ianto Jones. Think about my name.'

Ianto frowned, 'It's an amalgamation of 'Ray' and 'Lia'.'

She nodded, 'Which means there is only me!' she grinned, 'and look what I can do now,' she looked over at her pile of clothes and gestured for them to come over. Instantly the pile of clothes came to life and surrounded her waiting for her to pick an item, 'Pretty cool, huh?'

Jack stared at her, all sign of pressure or conflict gone from her features, her newly violet eyes sparkling with renewed confidence and contentment, 'We're going to have discuss a new living plan for you, aren't we?'

She beamed, 'We did always discuss this eventuality,' she motioned to her clothes again, lifting herself slightly into the air she let her clothes dress herself, 'and I want you to stop looking for a "cure". My ability isn't a disease, its part of me and even if you found a way of eliminating it I wouldn't let you- so don't waste your time or resources.'

Jack raised his eyebrow, 'And who gave you authority over me?'

She shrugged, 'No one. I'm just telling you how it is.'

'Hmm. Well seeing as you have the power advantage I'll let you have that one. But you are still not to leave the hub. Not yet anyway.'

'That's okay, Daddy. I'll play the grounded school girl until you trust me...does this mean I can run around the hub?'

Jack snorted, 'I suppose you can have a little more freedom...c'mon. I'll show you around.'


	6. Discoveries in Exploration

***Re- written version***

'Raylie…Raylie!' Jack shouted down his comm.

His earpiece crackled, 'Sorry, Jack,' she giggled in his ear, 'Ianto was showing me around the archives…again.'

'Girl, I swear I scream you're name at least a thousand times a day. Get both your asses up here, I need Ianto stat,' he heard her giggle in his ear again.

'Oh I bet you need him, Daddy! Over and out,' the comm. line went dead.

Jack chuckled before his gaze alighted on Suzie, 'Suzie!'

She snapped her head up, placing a fake smile on her face, 'Yes, Jack?'

'Don't you think you should be packing the glove up rather than sitting there staring at it?'

'Oh. Yes, sure I mean- I was about to.'

Jack frowned at her as she scuttled away, he was starting to worry about her, 'Tosh, you got those coordinates ready for me?'

'Just one second, Jack. I'm downloading them now.'

Jack nodded, 'Owen got your...well, ready?'

Owen snorted, 'Jesus.'

Jack laughed, 'I'll take that as a yes then.'

Ianto appeared from the archives, alone, 'I heard I was needed, Sir?'

'Where's Raylie?'

Ianto smiled, 'Right there, Sir?' he nodded his head in Jack's direction.

'Yeah, Jack. I'm right here,' she whispered in his ear.

Jack jumped, 'Stop doing that!'

Araylia laughed, 'I just like seeing you flustered, Jack,' she flexed her foot and shot upwards, chasing Myfanwy around the hub.

'How the hell does she make that look so effortless?' Tosh wondered, eyes darting backwards and forwards with the girls movement.

Jack shrugged, 'Because for her it is easy...'

Ianto joined them, watching the girl with admiration and affection on his features- an expression Jack wished was pointed in his direction. Ianto smiled briefly before taking his seat at Tosh's work station, 'Ready when you are, Sir.'

'Thanks, Ianto,' Jack straightened up and adjusted his coat on his shoulders, 'Come on then. Let's get this over with.'

'I wonder how good it would be to be able to do that,' Owen shook his head, 'those abilities would come in real handy.'

She shot back downwards and hovered in front of Owen, 'Would you like to come for a spin, Owen? I promise I'm an excellent driver,' she winked at him and took his hands in her own.

Lifting him slowly into the air, she grinned almost wickedly as he realised his feet were no longer touching the ground.

'Shit! Put me down!'

He wiggled in an unmanly manner in mid air until Araylia's arm wrapped around his waist, grounding him against her body, 'Don't worry, Owen. I won't let you go.'

Ianto smiled up at the flying girl and the disgruntled medic, who was flailing ungracefully in the air, 'Relax, Owen!' he shouted up, 'She won't drop you.'

'Screw you, tea-boy, you're not the one floating 40 feet off the ground,' Owen yelled down.

'Stop being such a baby, Owen,' Tosh called up, 'she knows what she's doing!'

'Oh, because you're an expert in telekinesis as well?'

'No. She took me up for a spin once...' Tosh shrugged and smiled lazily in the memory of the brief time she had felt weightless.

'Araylia, you put Owen down at once,' Jack shouted up.

She stopped them midair and saluted, 'Yes, Sir. Right away, Sir,' she dropped them down rapidly causing Owen to let out a girly scream. She smiled in his face, 'That was the most effeminate thing I've ever heard.'

She set Owen on his feet a heavy scowl on his face, 'Can we go now, Jack? Don't think I fancy being mocked.'

Araylia gasped, 'Owen! You hurt me. After I was so kind to take you flying…' she smiled and bounced up the stairs, leaping off the barrier she suspended herself in mid air, turning herself upside-down as she drifted towards Ianto, 'Don't you have somewhere to be?'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWWTWTW

'Rayla, where are you?' Ianto's voice crackled in her ear.

'Just back down to the archives. I'm trying to remember my way around.'

Ianto chuckled, 'Good luck. It took me a while, and I've got an eidetic memory.'

'We can't all have weird brain functions.'

He laughed again, 'Oh the irony.'

She smiled and clicked off her earpiece, she enjoyed the fact that she wasn't being watched or listened to all the time. She still wasn't allowed outside and she had to wear a comm 24/7, and she still lived in the cell which did have a camera. But she was allowed to do what she wanted around the hub…within reason.

She threw herself down the archives isles, sweeping the papers into neat piles as she swept down the areas Ianto hadn't had a chance to get to. She left a trail of breadcrumbs behind her, literally, so she could get back. She frowned as she came to a door that she hadn't realised before, she leant forward to open it.

'Raylie, I want you back upstairs where I can see you, pronto.'

She sighed, the team was back, 'Coming, Jack,' she sang back at him. The door would have to wait.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Did you see? I managed to bring him back for a whole two minutes!' Araylia rolled her eyes as she heard Suzie animatedly recounting the scene, 'I need to get more practise in. If I can control it enough then I might be able to bring them back for longer! Maybe even indefinitely!'

Araylia snorted, 'You're not a God, Suzie Costello. It's not up to you when someone lives or dies.'

Suzie rounded on her, 'I'm not the one with the God complex around here, freak-show. You're the one flying around the room as if it's normal.

'And you're the one obsessed with life or death. I don't think using the gifts I was given is anything but normal,' Araylia felt the eyes of the other team members on her, Ianto was edging closer, 'I think you're the one who's not normal.'

Suzie smacked her across the face sending Araylia off of her feet. She laughed manically, 'Don't patronise me. You're nothing but a prisoner. A freak show. Too bad I hadn't managed to get the glove working before. You could have said goodbye to the man you loved…and murdered.'

Araylia shot up off of the floor and swept her arm across her body, causing Suzie to slam against the wall, 'Say that again,' she snarled.

Suzie laughed, 'You don't fool me. You're a murderer and that's what you'll always be.'

Araylia growled and slid Suzie further up the wall, her feet were no longer touching the floor, 'You think it's wise to antagonise someone who, not only surpasses you intellectually, but can easily overpower you?' Araylia's eyes glowed dimly, 'You'll get yours, Suzie Costello, and I've seen it happen,' she dropped her, causing Suzie's knees to buckle at the sudden impact. She leant down and whispered, 'I've seen your mind, Costello. You're one twisted being,' Araylia turned, briefly touched Ianto on the shoulder and launched off the barrier, gliding slowly up to Myfanwy's enclosure.

Jack followed Araylia with his eyes as she confidently swung into the pterodactyls sleeping area, 'Suzie, that was totally inappropriate,' he glared at the woman on the floor.

'But- Jack! She was the one who-'

'There was no reason to antagonise her. I expected better from you,' Jack turned away from his team and made his way up to his office, Ianto hot on his heels.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWW

'Stupid Costello. Stupid me. Stupid life!' Araylia snuggled into the pterodactyl, 'You understand, right? We're the same, aren't we? Both taken away from our natural environment, forced to stay in this hub because of what we are,' she wrapped her arms tighter around Myfanwy, 'I miss the sky. Do you?' She looked into the pterodactyl's mind and saw images of an ancient world, of Jack and Ianto in a warehouse. She felt its frustration and confusion at this world of metal, 'I wish we could leave here.'

The pterodactyl squawked in an oddly reassuring way.

'I know, baby, I know. It sucks,' Araylia wiped her tears away on her sleeve, 'I wish I could discover something new. I'm so tired of the same old...everything!' she gripped the dinosaur around the neck, 'I'm just so frustrated with all the same-'Araylia stopped. The door she had seen earlier. That was new- not necessarily exciting but still new. She frowned, 'c'mon, dear. Take me down won't you?'

Myfanwy set her down at the entrance of the archives; she stroked its beak and thanked her.

'Curiosity doesn't always kill the cat,' she smiled at her musing and wandered through the archives trying to find her way back to the door. She heard Ianto talking a few rows away, following his voice she made her way nearer until she could hear coherent words.

'Sir, I'm not quite sure that-'

'Ianto, you shouldn't start games that you can't finish.'

Araylia froze she could smell Jack from her position, his scent filling every atom of air. She pressed herself against the wall stilling her breath.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'But I never- started-... shit.'

Jack laughed and took the opportunity to press a kiss to Ianto's mouth, 'Ianto Jones. You never fail to disappoint,' he placed butterfly kisses along Ianto's jaw and pressed his body into Ianto's, trapping him against a nearby filing cabinet. Jack felt the Welshman's body respond to his and resumed kissing him. He smiled into Ianto's mouth when he felt the younger man's knees begin to buckle. Jack ran his hands upwards and slipped Ianto's suit jacket off of his arms, moving to undo his waistcoat, he slipped it off Ianto's arms and put it on top of the jacket. Carefully undoing his shirt's buttons, he slipped his hands over Ianto's torso, feeling the young man shiver at the touch of his slightly cold hands. Jack kissed his way down Ianto's neck, pausing to see if the man would run away again. When Ianto made no move Jack moved his face back up to Ianto's, capturing his mouth in another urgent kiss while he ran his hands down towards Ianto's belt. Distracting him with his mouth, Jack undid the Welshman's belt and trousers, slipping his hand into the man's boxers. Ianto gasped at the sudden realisation of his Boss' hands whereabouts but the gasp died on his lips and turned to moans as Jack moved his hand, grinning wickedly.

Ianto tried to say something but the words died in his mouth turning into moans of pleasure, bringing his arms up he pulled Jack closer to him as his mouth was claimed in another bruising kiss. He felt his hand being brought down to Jack's waist, pulling back to look at Jack he saw the other man's face lit up in a cheeky grin.

'One good turn deserves another, Ianto.'

Ianto deliberated with himself for a minute, an impatient squeeze from Jack all the prompting he needed to delve into the Captain's trousers. Jack's head fell forward onto his shoulder and his breathing became ragged.

'I bet this wasn't on your to do list this morning.'

Ianto almost laughed. Almost.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Araylia flew away as fast as possible; her hands clamped over her mouth to suppress the laughter of delight that was threatening to explode from her mouth. Ianto and Jack's moans were still echoing off the walls causing a fresh wave of hysteria to rise to her lips. She glided through the aisles, searching for the mystery door, trying to distract herself from the scene playing out behind her. She turned left and found what she was looking for. She stood staring at the door for a moment, biting her lip before turning the handle and stepping through the frame.

She was enveloped in the darkness, the only chink of light coming from the bottom of the door she had just stepped through. She clicked her tongue, 'It's no fun not seeing,' she flicked her wrists and an ancient bulb flickered to life, 'Oh good,' she smiled and removed the bulb from the socket, carrying it like a torch. She walked down the corridor, 'its times like this I miss having a voice in my head,' she whispered to herself. The corridor screamed ominous. She opened every door she came across finding nothing of interest, mainly storage goods. She noticed that the lighting was better at this end of the corridor so she dropped her bulb and carried on in her search.

She'd been searching for what seemed like hours when, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a flickering light through a door, she pushed on the door but it was locked. And a security code was needed; she frowned at the device on the door and placed a finger on it. The light flashed green and the door unbolted. She smiled and pushed the door open. The room was full of metal and beeping; she ran her eyes over the room gasping when she saw the woman made of metal in the middle of the room.

She shut the door behind her, very aware of the fact that she should not be seeing this that this woman should not be here. She wandered over to the side of the woman; she was asleep with a frown on her face.

'That's funny,' Araylia whispered, 'Why would you sleep frowning?' she put her hand on the side of the table feeling the ghost of a much repeated movement. She followed the action, climbing up so she was level with the woman; she leant over to press a light kiss to the woman's mouth while cupping her face with her free hand. The woman's eyes opened but Araylia could tell that she was still asleep. Araylia frowned again and delved into the mind of this stranger. She felt a gasp rip from her throat as she felt her body burning in a sea of blood, a pair of hands were dragging her backwards and she could hear herself screaming. She withdrew from the woman's mind and found that she had fallen to the floor.

'It hurts doesn't it.'

Araylia snapped her attention up to the woman, 'Why does it hurt so much?'

'They failed. I am…incomplete,' tears fell from the woman's eyes and Araylia found herself holding her hand.

'I'll help you.'

The woman nodded, 'That dial over there,' she gestured with her head, 'Turn it up another notch.'

Araylia nodded and did as she was told, 'Better?'

The woman nodded at her, 'Thank you.'

'Who are you? How did you get here?'

'My name is Lisa. Lisa Hallett,' she took a breath, 'My boyfriend brought me here.'

'Your…boyfriend?'

'Yes.'

Araylia shook her head, 'But who is-'

'I am.'

She turned around to see Ianto pointing a gun at her head, snorting with distinct derision she sauntered towards him, 'Put the gun down, Ianto. Are you planning on shooting me?'

'If I have to,' he swallowed shakily.

'Good luck trying...I'm wonder woman remember? Guns aren't exactly a threat to me.' Ianto swallowed again and Araylia noticed how ruffled he looked, she cocked her eyebrow at him, 'You seem to have recovered from that little escapade quickly.'

Ianto glanced at Lisa, 'A rift disturbance caused the archives to combust.'

Araylia laughed, 'Yeah...it was like a whirlwind. Even clothes were being thrown everywhere,' she cocked an eyebrow at him.

'How did you find this place, Araylia?'

She shrugged, taking Lisa's hand again, 'How else? Good old fashioned looking...you know. With my eyes...' she sighed exasperation threatening to take hold, 'If I were going to run to Jack I would have by now.'

'You- you're not going to tell?' he lowered the gun.

'She said she wanted to help me,' Lisa croaked from her bed, 'and she kissed me,' Lisa smiled as best as she could.

Araylia saw the disbelief on Ianto's face, 'Way to land me in hot water, Lisa! I didn't know she was yours! So sue me.'

Ianto nodded, 'What are you going to do, Rayla?'

Araylia looked into the mind of the Welshman; he was burning with apprehension with…love for Lisa. She blew a breath out of her mouth, 'I told her I would help so I will...how can I not?' she looked at Lisa, 'she's in so much pain.'

'Thank you,' he whispered, 'I love her so much.'

Araylia smiled, 'I know,' she smiled at him before smacking him upside the head, 'that's for pointing a gun at my head, you idiot!'


	7. Brilliant Gwen Cooper

***Re-written version***

Suzie stared at the glove, listening to it call out to her, begging her to release the unbridled power that it possessed. She reached her hand out to it, picking it up gently as if it were a newborn.

'Hush, soon I promise.'

Suzie caressed the metal, electricity running through her fingertips with the anticipation.

'Don't let it take you, Woozy.'

Suzie jumped, turning to see Araylia looking down at her, 'Is the sky still blue, Ray-Ray?'

Araylia hopped down next to her, 'Don't fall into the darkness, Woozy. Don't let it possess you,' she narrowed her eyes, 'What's in the darkness that's so much better?'

Suzie snorted, 'A deal better than being with you.'

'You won't be able to play this game of charades forever, Woozy.'

'What?'

Araylia smiled, 'It was never boring knowing you,' she leant forward, 'But then it was never a pleasure either. I'd save you, really I would. But...you don't deserve it.'

Suzie glared at Araylia's retreating back, 'How about the grass, Ray-Ray? Is it still green?'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Do you think she's still out there?' Ianto looked up at Araylia.

'She is,' she twisted in the air, leaning backwards in a relaxed position, 'Even if she's not she is.'

'You make no sense.'

Araylia smiled absently, ordering the papers Ianto had handed up to her, 'Since when did I ever?'

Ianto chuckled, 'Good point.'

'She's clever, Ianto,' she smiled, 'you're gonna have to get up to the tourist office.'

Ianto frowned, 'Why would I-?'

Ianto nearly jumped as he heard Jack's voice crackle in his ear, ordering him up to the office.

'I'll be right there, Sir,' Ianto frowned at her again, 'Sometimes you scare me.'

She shrugged, setting the papers down, 'Sometimes I scare me too...at least I'm never boring.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Have you done it?' Jack put his hand on Ianto's shoulder.

'Just finished, Sir.'

'Well that was fun while it lasted,' Jack sighed leaning forward, delighting in feeling Ianto tense from the contact.

'It's not over till the fat lady sings,' Araylia giggled.

Jack frowned at the girl, 'You're going to sing?'

Araylia scowled and threw a paperweight in Jack's direction, making it hover mid air before it smashed on the floor, 'Next time I won't miss.'

Jack laughed, 'Getting hostile in your old age.'

'You're one to talk about old age, Daddy,' Araylia snorted, 'What are you now...100?'

Jack rolled his eyes, 'My age is a mystery,' he twirled around, 'But, hey. I'm looking good.'

Araylia laughed, 'I dunno...Ianto? What do you think?'

Ianto sighed, 'Don't drag me into this, please. I hardly think it's appropriate.'

She gave Ianto a meaningful look, 'Uh huh, whatever you say...I'm going for a midnight stroll.'

'Where exactly?' Jack looked alarmed.

'Chill out, Jack,' she smiled, 'just in the archives, I still need to get my bearings don't I?' she laughed at the sceptical looks on both Jack and Ianto's faces, 'don't look at me like that! And besides. I can't almost feel the "go away" vibes radiating off of Jack.'

Ianto froze in his seat, looking somewhere between pleased and distressed as he watched the girl wave and walk away.

TTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Araylia trembled, if Jack found out what she was doing…she shook her head. Too late to turn back now.

She closed Gwen Cooper's front door behind herself and stepped over to the sleeping woman.

'You're clever, but you'll need something to set the ball rolling,' she pressed a kiss to her forehead, 'and that should help with the retcon headache,' she took a pen out from her pocket.

She grabbed a nearby magazine from the top of the pile and scrawled '_Remember' _on the cover.

Araylia bit back a yelp when the comm. crackled in her ear, '_Raylie? You still down in the archives, kiddo?_'

She all but threw herself out of the flat, 'Yup, still wandering around,' she gulped silently, 'Whaddya need, Jack?'

'_Nothing really…you figured your way around yet?_'

She faked a laugh, 'You have to be kidding, right?'

Jack snorted, '_That's true...you haven't happened to see Ianto down there have you? Only he kinda...disappeared._'

'Trust you to scare him off,' she padded down the corridor, trying to keep her footsteps silent.

'_I was only wondering 'cause he said he'd help me with…paperwork_.'

'Paperwork, huh?' she raised her eyebrow, 'Unfortunately, I haven't stumbled across him hiding from your sexual advances.'

Jack laughed, '_Who could hide from me?_'

'The sad thing is you're being deadly serious.'

'_Always_,' he laughed again, 'Call _me when you're ready to be tucked in, Kiddo._'

'Shall do,' Araylia sprinted towards the plass, fighting the urge to pick herself up, grinning despite her deception. It was good to be outside.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack walked through the archives, puzzled by the lack of his archivist and his resident. Taking his time he walked through to "Employee Files", almost grinning when he saw Ianto kneeling down in front of a filing cabinet. Coming up behind his silently, Jack ghosted a breath in Ianto's ear, 'I thought you said you'd help me with my paperwork...'

If Ianto was surprised he didn't show it. He calmly turned around and looked Jack defiantly in the eye, 'I thought by organising the archives I was doing just that...Sir.'

Jack raised his eyebrow, 'But...my office is such a mess,' he pulled Ianto towards him, 'I really think you should take a look up there...'

Ianto rolled his eyes briefly before sauntering past Jack and towards the main hub. He turned, 'Coming, Sir?'

Jack smiled in a predatory manner as he followed Ianto up to his office. Watching as the young man carried on the charade by picking up the papers on his desk, he came up behind Ianto and pressed his body flush against the younger mans.

'Sir, I thought you wanted me to help you with paper work,' Ianto knew exactly why Jack had wanted him in his office alone. He half hoped Jack would turn around and start collating files, but only half. The other half had come here knowing exactly what Jack had wanted. Ianto turned and smiled at the now extremely close Captain, 'Or perhaps there is something else you require help with…Sir.'

Jack smiled wickedly as he pressed Ianto towards his desk, the Welshman never failed to disappoint him, 'I think you know exactly what I need help with, Ianto,' he ground his hips against the younger mans, eliciting a moan from Ianto, 'In fact…I think you need help with the exact same issue,' Jack raised his eyebrow, simultaneously running his hands over Ianto's arms.

'This is harassment, Sir,' Ianto struggled to keep his voice level as Jack began to slip his jacket off; 'I should report you for this.'

Jack laughed, 'Go ahead,' he brought his mouth to Ianto's neck and nipped gently at the skin, undoing Ianto's shirt buttons.

Ianto desperately tried to keep the banter going, to delay the inevitable, but he found that any words he had died in his mouth as he felt his shirt slip off his shoulders, 'Sir.'

'Still 'Sir' even in this situation, huh?' Jack grinned when he felt the younger man start to lose control, his hands currently woven into Jack's hair. Jack moved his hands towards Ianto's belt, deftly unbuckling it while he pressed his mouth over Ianto's.

Ianto groaned into Jack's mouth when he felt the older mans hand work its way into his boxers, desperately trying to keep a hold on his. Ianto felt his body betray him as his hips bucked up into Jack's grasp causing the older man to smile, 'Fuck.'

'Ianto Jones, I believe that is the first time I've heard you swear,' Jack grinned wider, 'Lets see what other profanities I can get your mouth to make, shall we?' he laughed at Ianto's stunned face as he pushed him completely onto the desk.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Araylia let herself in through the archive tunnels and stood against the door breathing heavily. She grinned and launched herself off the door and into the archives, skipping down the aisles. The adrenaline rush from disobeying Jack and the joy at feeling the wind on her face lit up her whole body. She must sneak out more often; she nodded in agreement with herself. Even if it was just to the pier and back.

Any feeling of pleasure the trip out had given her was ripped away as she felt Lisa's mental cry from the conversion unit, the pain shuddering through every atom of Araylia's being. She spun round and took off running, Lisa still echoing in her head.

She flung the doors open before she reached them, slamming them shut once she was through the frame, 'Lisa,' she ran to woman's side, 'What should I do? How do I make it better?'

Lisa remained motionless on the table, a harsh grimace etched into her face unable to speak through the sudden bout of pain.

'Sweetheart, I need to know what to do!' Araylia paced up and down a moment before reaching into Lisa's mind- a feat of her abilities she promised Jack she'd keep to a minimum.

**The drip, it needs replacing. There's a supply of them in the storage cupboard. **

Araylia ran to the cupboard, hands trembling as she hooked up the new bag to the IV running into Lisa's arm. Flicking it to make sure she hadn't left any air bubbles in she pierced the bag, watching the liquid flow down to Lisa's arm.

'Is that it? Did I do it right?'

Lisa's eyes flickered open briefly; **it'll take time to take effect.**

Araylia ran her fingers over Lisa's forehead, cooling her down, 'Don't you worry, darling. I'm here now,' she kissed her lightly on the forehead.

Lisa's eyes flickered open again, 'Where's Ianto?'

'He hasn't been to see you yet?' Araylia frowned, 'That's weird. Jack said he couldn't find him earlier… maybe he came when you were sleeping?'

Lisa nodded again, her eyelids slipping closed, 'That's probably the case.'

Araylia brushed her hand over Lisa's forehead, images of Lisa's former life floated in her head. Joining Torchwood One, meeting Ianto, friends, lying in bed with Ianto, camping with Ianto, Ianto, Ianto, Ianto. Pain. Araylia withdrew her hand and kissed Lisa's forehead again, 'I think it's time to sleep now...'

Lisa's head fell to the side, her breathing coming in a steady rhythm.

'Sweet dreaming.'

Araylia left her phone playing sweet, quiet music and shut the door behind her. She flicked her eyes up as she heard footsteps coming towards her, 'I was wondering when and if you'd turn up,' She smiled at him, 'Have fun?'

Ianto swallowed, 'Is Lisa okay?'

Araylia scowled at him, 'She's fine now, Ianto. And before you panic she thinks you visited her when she was asleep,' she raised her hand when she saw Ianto begin to move, 'And she's asleep now. I don't suggest waking her up,' she walked past him, 'Go home, Ianto. Get some sleep yourself.'

Ianto visibly slumped, 'You're disgusted with me aren't you?'

Araylia spun around and pressed a kiss to Ianto's cheek, 'Don't be ridiculous, you know I love you.'

'But- What I'm doing…I mean with Jack-'

She put her hand on his mouth, 'Shut it, you. You know what Jack's like and besides,' she grinned, 'you're a guy who…hadn't been getting any.'

A ghost of a smile graced Ianto's mouth, 'I'm going home.'

Araylia kissed his forehead, 'Sweet dreaming.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Suzie panicked, Gwen Cooper was back. She sprung up from her desk gathering anything she could, slipping the dagger and her gun into her bag. As she turned she nearly screamed as she saw Araylia facing her.

'I told you the game couldn't last.'

Suzie stared at her, 'Let me go.'

She stepped to the side, 'By all means, Woozy.'

Watching Araylia carefully Suzie hurried past her and ran towards the cog door.

'You know,' She turned to face Araylia, 'I didn't want to play a game like this- I just...'

Araylia narrowed her eyes, 'But you invented the game, Suzie.'

She watched as Suzie fled the building, waiting a few beats before she sauntered towards Jack's office. Leaning against the door frame she watched him for a minute.

'What was that about?' he asked, not looking up from the papers in front of him.

Araylia shrugged, 'Depends if you heard anything.'

'Not really.'

She nodded, 'I'm sorry, Jack.'

He looked up, 'Uh oh. No cute nickname? This must be serious.'

'You're going to have to reveal one of your secrets.'

'What's that supposed to mean?'

Araylia walked towards Jack, eyes glowing slightly as she sat on the desk in front of him, 'It was unavoidable really. But she's good- she won't tell.'

Jack shook his head, 'What are you talking about?'

She leaned over and tapped on his keyboard, 'I'm talking about this situation. You've got a murderer- a desperate murderer- on your hands, Jack,' she smiled absently, 'You better go save her.'


	8. Arguments and Anguish

***Re-Written Version***

'Once a week? If I took her out she wouldn't be on her own then,' Gwen followed Jack to his office, 'That would be okay, surely?'

Jack sighed for what felt like the millionth time since Gwen Cooper had joined their happy family, 'No, Gwen,' she was really wearing down his last nerve.

'Why won't you compromise? You said that we should do more to help and help starts here!' she stood in front of him blocking his path, hands on her hips and determined look on her face.

'For the last time,Gwen Cooper, no means no,' he picked her up and moved her out of his way, 'How many times have we had this argument?'

'And we'll have it a thousand times more until we come to an agreement!'

A giggle from above them halted them, 'You're going to piss him off seriously, Gwen,' Araylia said bringing herself down to eye level with the dark haired woman, 'Thank you,' she beamed and Gwen and kissed her on the top of the head, 'Keep fighting the good fight,' she grinned at Jack, 'I love you, Daddy. But I'm not about to stop a woman on the war path, especially when it's on my behalf.'

Jack threw his hands up into the air, 'What's brought this on all of a sudden? I thought you were content in the hub.'

Araylia almost squirmed in the air, 'I dunno. I'd quite like to go outside again.'

'You know that's not a possibility. Not yet.'

'I'm compos mentis, Jack. I'm not going to hurt anyone,' she felt her anger flaring.

'She shouldn't be locked up in here, Jack. She's not a weevil,' Gwen frowned.

'Anyone else want to have a go at me?' Jack yelled across the hub, 'Speak now or forever hold your peace.'

'I agree with the newbie,' Owen sighed, 'I think it's about time the Princess could leave the tower.'

'Looks like we have a mutiny on our hands,' Jack crossed his arms, 'But the answer is still no. What happens if she starts floating in the middle of Cardiff? They'll lock her away in an instant or worse UNIT could get a hold of her.'

'I'm not an idiot, Jack,' Araylia placed her feet on the ground, 'Don't insult my intelligence, I did used to live up there.'

'But you had no power then, what if you forget?'

'Forget that I'm a freak? Don't make me laugh,' she squared up to Jack, 'Like I could forget any less than you can forget-' she bit her tongue, 'I just don't see why I can't go out once a week.'

'No.'

Araylia narrowed her eyes at Jack, 'I think I should be allowed out, Jack.'

Jack crossed his arms, 'No.'

'Give me some credit. Just because I was a murderer once doesn't mean I am now. I'm a different person.'

'Yeah, before the murderer was in one of two personalities,' he took a step forwards, 'now it's part of you.'

'Fuck you,' she shoved him, causing him to stumble into a wall. She jumped down from the walkway and glided onto the lift. Flicking her wrists the lift began to protest as it was forced upwards. She kept her eyes fixed on the platform above her moving the plate out of place as the lift ascended.

She scowled down at the hub as the lift got higher, smiling at the sheer look of rage on Jack's face.

'Get back here. NOW.'

'Make me.'

Jack watched as the lift slotted into place, turning to go into his office he grabbed his greatcoat and slung it on, 'Gwen, keep an eye on her on the CCTV. I'm going after her.'

Gwen stifled a giggle, 'She's...disabled the cameras.'

'This isn't funny, Gwen. This is serious.'

Gwen sighed, 'What's so serious? We know her, Jack. She's not going to hurt anyone and she isn't stupid enough to use her power outside,' she put her hand on his shoulder, 'Trust her, Jack. She'll come back.'

Jack growled in frustration, brushed Gwen off and slammed the door to his office shut. An action the team had learnt to interpret as a "Do not Disturb" sign.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Araylia smiled, her anger had dissipated the second she had stepped off the lift, 'Well, Woozy. The sky is still blue,' she sprinted towards the docks and flung herself into the water. The sharp cold stung her body, and it felt so good. She pulled herself back up onto the dock, the water running down her back creating a shiver up her spine. She laughed until she felt dizzy. Breathing deeply she sat up, smiling at the surroundings, feeling free.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto knocked on the door before he entered Jack's office, 'Coffee?' he smiled around the door, 'I made it sweeter than usual, I know that argument with Rayla upset you earlier.'

'Upset me...do you really think I'm that girly?' Jack shook his head, 'Where do you think she went?'

Ianto shrugged as he sat on the edge of Jack's desk, a position he had become accustomed to, 'Who knows? She has no where _to_go.'

Jack nodded, 'Do you think she'll be alright?'

'Isn't that the wrong question?' Ianto frowned.

'What do you mean?'

'Shouldn't you be saying something like; "Do you think she's behaving herself?" or "Do you think she'll relapse?",' Ianto smiled, 'You weren't really worried about her hurting anyone were you, Sir?'

'Is a father not allowed to worry about his daughter?'

'You know that analogy is getting a little disturbing,' Ianto grinned at Jack.

Jack nodded down at his desk, lost in his concern when Ianto leant down and kissed the top of his head, murmuring into his hair, 'It's nice to see your human side, Jack.'

Jack's mouth twisted into a grin at Ianto's sudden boldness, 'That's the first time you've called me by name.'

Ianto's eyes widened at the sudden realisation before creasing into a smile, 'Consider it a one off...Sir.'

The door opened again and Toshiko walked into Jack's office, 'Hi, Ianto,' she smiled at him quickly, 'Jack, I thought I should tell you…'

'Tell me what, Tosh?'

'Well, a while ago I fitted an emergency device into Araylia's comm. system in case she ever relapsed-'

'Wait,' confusion crossed Jack's features, 'What device? Why didn't you tell me?'

'Well, I filed a report on it about a week ago?'

Ianto snorted knowing full well that Jack hadn't caught up with paperwork from last month, let alone last week.

'Oh,' Jack looked down, 'You knew I wouldn't have read it yet?'

Tosh nodded, 'That's why I came to tell you. The device is designed to suppress the telekinetic signal Araylia's brain produces- so she can't do anything physically. She can still access the telepathic signal but that's it.'

'You're brilliant, Tosh. How did you get that to work?'

'I set it up to activate outside the hubs parameters; I figured there was no harm in letting her have her power inside the hub.'

Jack nodded, 'Thanks for the info, Tosh.'

Tosh nodded and beamed at them both, 'Sorry, I have to finish running my new programme,' she backed out of the office, 'oh, one more thing. She doesn't actually know I fitted the device into her headset.'

Jack chuckled as Tosh backed out the room, 'She's a genius. I don't think I'll ever stop being surprised by her,' Jack turned back to Ianto to see him frowning, 'What's wrong?'

'She doesn't know she can't use her powers.'

Jack shrugged, 'It doesn't matter, does it? She's sure to find out if she tries while she's out.'

Ianto stood up, apparently deep in thought, 'She wouldn't use her power unless she had too...'

'Ianto, where is your head going with this?'

'What happens if she gets into trouble? Like real trouble,' Ianto paced up and down Jack's office, 'you know what a mouth she has on her, what if she gets into a fight?'

Jack looked at the young man; he had never seen his composure slip so much, 'Ianto Jones, just what is underneath that mask?'

Ianto looked up at Jack, features carefully arranged into a deadpan, 'Excuse me, Sir?'

Jack groaned, 'Sorry I mentioned it.'

'What about Araylia, Sir?'

Jack frowned, 'She'll come back. Eventually.'

A frown passed over Ianto's features, 'You're right. Its one day. She'll be fine.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Araylia blew out smoke rings, darkness had fallen and so had the temperature. She was freezing. She got up and walked into the nearest pub, the sudden warmth rushing over her causing her to shudder more violently, biting her lip she sat down in a booth. She whipped her phone out to look as though she was waiting for someone and wondered when she should go back to the hub, she didn't want to go back but she couldn't stay outside forever.

'Buy you a drink, love?'

She smiled up at the man above her, 'No, but thanks for offering.'

'C'mon! Don't be such a prude.'

'I said no, thank you,' she smiled curtly, turning back to her phone.

'I wanna buy you a drink, not poison you.'

'I know, but I'm just not thirsty right now,' she smiled tightly at him.

'Stop being so stuck up, every man in here can tell you're begging for it.'

'Excuse me?'

'Don't play coy, darling,' he sneered at her.

She laughed as she stood up, 'Maybe you'd get more if you weren't such a dick,' she spat the last word at him and walked out of the pub.

'What an absolute wanker,' she said to the air, walking away, 'Bastard,' she looked down at her outfit, 'I don't look like I'm begging for it, do I?' she shook her head, almost laughing at the absurd thought of missing two of her. Araylia froze as she felt a presence behind her.

**She looks tasty.**

Her heart leapt to her mouth, he was getting closer.

**I want a bite. **

She spun around to face the advancing man, 'Who are you?' she asked innocently, trying to keep her voice steady, 'What do you want?'

The man got closer and closer, he wasn't thinking anything anymore.

She raised her arm, 'Stop there,' she frowned, why hadn't he stopped? Why couldn't she stop him? The air emptied from her lungs and her heart started to hammer her ribcage, 'Stop!' she screamed at him. She turned and ran, **Jack, save me.**

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Jack stood up sharply, Araylia's voice still ringing in his ears, 'Araylia's in trouble.'

Ianto looked up, 'How do you know?'

'I…heard her in my head,' he tapped his comm., 'Raylie?' he saw the panic in Ianto's eyes, 'C'mon kiddo let me hear that beautiful voice,' he stormed out of his office, 'Tosh! Why can't I communicate with Araylia? Why is her comm. offline?'

'Running a diagnostic now,' she flicked her eyes over the screens in front of her, 'Her comm. has been damaged... it's too damaged for two way reception but if I just try...' her fingers sped over her keyboard, 'You should be able to hear her now.'

Jack jumped as he heard his comm. crackle to life in his ear, '_Stay away! No, please. STOP.'_

'Ianto with me, Tosh I need you to isolate her comm.'s coordinates and patch them through to the SUV,' Jack strode into his office, throwing his greatcoat over his shoulders, 'Make it fast, Tosh.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

He shoved her up against the wall, forcing the breath out of her lungs, grabbing her throat cutting off her oxygen supply. She scrabbled at his hands with her nails, blood coating her fingers as she gouged into his flesh. White spots were beginning to appear in her eyes as her oxygen deprived mind fought to stay awake. She kicked out her leg with as much force as she could, revelling in the fact her kick connected. His grip loosened slightly giving her a chance to break away and run again. She staggered down the alley he'd dragged her into before she felt herself being tackled to the floor.

She screamed, 'Someone fucking hel-' he clamped a hand over her mouth.

She bit down on his hand, causing him to yelp, 'You fucking bitch,' she tasted the blood in her mouth and spat, 'you're going to fucking pay for that.'

He spun her over and straddled her, pinning her arms above her head with one arm he began ripping her shirt with the other, buttons flinging across the alley.

'Stay away! No, please. STOP,' she struggled against his grip, bucking upwards to make him lose his balance.

He smacked her in the face causing her lip to split and her nose to crack. He grasped her undershirt and tugged, ripping it down the front. He ran his hand down her body causing her to scream, 'Get the FUCK off me!' she lurched upwards and he lost his grip on one of her hands. She forced her hand into his face and managed to turn around underneath him.

He grabbed her arm and held it behind her back, pushing her face into the ground, 'Silly move, sweetie,' he reached around her front, pulling at her jeans he ripped the button off.

She screamed into the floor, 'Get off me you pervert,' struggling under his weight, trying to get away from his hands, 'GET OFF!' she scrambled around in front of her with her free arm and her hand closed around a something solid.

He flipped her over, still pulling at her jeans. Raising her arm she brought the object down on his head, a sickening crunch filling her ears. She leapt up and stumbled down the alleyway. She made it to the next corner when her head was smashed into the fence next to her. She felt tears running down her cheeks, 'Why are you doing this?'

'Because I can.'

She bile rise into her throat as a fresh set of tears ran down her cheeks, 'You're sick.'

He snarled and shoved her into the fence, ripping her jeans as he did. She pushed him away, arms flailing to keep him away from her over exposed body, her energy running low. A swing connected with his face and she staggered away towards the main road, grasping at her clothes to keep herself covered.

'Araylia!'

She turned and saw Jack and Ianto running full pelt towards her, 'Jack,' she screamed as she felt a pair of hands pulling her backwards again. She felt the hands hesitate at the sight of the pair running towards them and threw herself out of their grip, stumbling towards the two men. She crashed into Ianto's chest and she felt him wrap his arms around her; she heard the sound of a punch and a man falling to the floor heavily. She clutched at her clothes trying to keep her jeans from falling off her hips, silent tears running down her face. She felt something on her shoulders and realised Jack had put his coat over her.

Jack looked down at Araylia, her face a mess of blood, scrapes, bruises and tears. He felt the rage build up inside him at the creature that did this to her. He moved, turning around to finish the unfathomable monster off when he felt a hand on his shoulder; he looked at Ianto, 'He doesn't deserve to live.'

Ianto grimaced, 'He doesn't deserve to get off so lightly.'

Jack saw a deep and menacing rage flickering in Ianto's eyes, 'What do we do with him?'

'We give him to UNIT. No trial, no second chances,' he looked down at the man, 'and no escape. Ever.'

Jack hauled the man to his feet, shoving him in the direction they'd come from, 'Take Araylia back to the hub. I'll deal with...this.'

Ianto tightened his grip on Araylia as Jack walked past them, 'It's okay, and I'm here now. He can't hurt you anymore.'

She trembled in his embrace, 'I won't go outside anymore. I promise.'


	9. Repercussions and Cyberwomen

***Re Written Version* **

Jack groaned and threw down the last of his paperwork, cursing the rift for staying silent for once. He looked down at the gap in his desk, where his legs should go, and frowned fondly, 'Are you gonna stay there forever? Or am I gonna have to drag you out?'

Araylia didn't respond.

'Raylie?' Jack pushed up from his chair and bent down so he was eye level with the girl, 'Are you o- oh,' he smiled when he realised she was sleeping soundly for a change. He stood up and strode out of his office into the main hub, frowning at the emptiness that greeted him, 'Ianto,' he called out, 'you still here?' he walked down the stairs, 'I sure could use a nice hot-' Jack jumped as a cup of coffee appeared in front of him.

'Coffee, Sir?' Ianto smiled at him, pleased he'd managed to ruffle the Captain.

Jack grinned at him as he took the mug, 'You never fail to amaze me, Jones.'

'I try my best, Sir,' he watched as Jack took a gulp from the mug, 'Where's Rayla?'

'She was sleeping under my desk; I thought it best not to wake her.'

Ianto nodded, 'She still not sleeping?'

'No,' Jack took another gulp, 'This is the first time she's slept soundly for-' A piercing scream caused both men to snap their heads up towards Jack's office, 'Spoke too soon,' Jack abandoned his coffee mug and sprinted towards his office. He burst into his office to be greeted by stationary hurtling through the air, circling the girl who was now standing in the middle of the room. An invisible barrier forced them up against the wall of Jack's office.

Jack grunted, 'Well this is familiar...'

'I don't think this is an appropriate time, Sir,' Ianto huffed from behind him.

'Always time for banter, Ianto.'

He could practically feel Ianto rolling his eyes, 'Sir...maybe we could focus on something more important.'

Jack mock gasped, 'But-'

'Sir!'

Araylia focused on the men in the room and withdrew the sheield, 'Jack,' she breathed, hurtling over to him and burying herself in his shirt, clinging to his braces.

Jack made hushing noises at the girl as he took in her tear stained face, 'you're in the hub, there's no-one here except me and Ianto. You're safe.'

She nodded into his chest, 'I know,' she pushed him away and rubbed her face, slipping on a fake smile, 'I'm okay.'

Jack shook his head and turned to Ianto, 'Her mask is almost as good as yours.'

Ianto looked up at him, 'I'm not sure what you mean, Sir.'

Jack threw up his hands exasperated; grinning wickedly, he grabbed Ianto and pulled him into an impromptu kiss smiling into Ianto's mouth when he heard the younger man squeak in surprise, he pulled away from Ianto and laughed, 'Even the master of the mask can be caught off guard,' he looked over to the girl, 'Don't acquire Ianto's uncanny ability of hiding in plain sight, I can do without you hiding as well.'

Araylia shrugged at Jack, 'Fine words for a hypocrite,' she, too, casually sauntered out of the office calling out as she went, 'I won't sleep after that, I'm going to do some archiving,' popping her head back in she bit her bottom lip, 'if...you know. If Ianto's not going home yet...'

Ianto smiled kindly, 'I was thinking about rearranging M through O anyway.'

She took Ianto's hand, 'Sleep well, Daddy...if you can.'

Jack laughed, 'Oh no, kiddo. No rest for the wicked,' he gestured to the pile of papers on his desk, 'Have...fun?'

Araylia smiled, 'It's fun for Ianto I'm sure,' she pulled on the Welshman's hand, 'C'mon.'

'Nothing wrong with being organised...' Ianto mumbled as he was led away.

Araylia stayed eerily silent on the way down to the archives, bypassing M-O Ianto frowned, 'We just passed-'

'I'm going to see Lisa,' she shrugged, 'Who would willingly want to file?'

Ianto scowled, 'I'll pretend you didn't say that...why do you want to see her?'

'Do I need a reason?'

Ianto frowned, 'Well, no-'

'Exactly, and anyway, you said Dr Tanizaki was coming tomorrow didn't you?'

'Yeah he-'

'You haven't been eating recently, Ianto.'

'I- what?' Ianto was thrown by the sudden topic change, 'I haven't been hungry,' she raised her eyebrows at him, 'It's not like you've been all that hungry either.'

She narrowed her eyes at him, 'C'mon, let's go,' Araylia let them into the room, 'Liiisaaa!' she sang out, then winced, 'Please tell me you're awake…'

'I'm awake,' Lisa croaked out from the unit, smiling as best she could.

'Thank God!' Araylia skipped up to the cyberwoman and jumped up to press a kiss to her cheek, 'You okay?'

Lisa nodded, 'Ianto put me on a new combination of meds.'

Ianto took Lisa's hand and smiled up at her, 'Dr Tanizaki is coming tomorrow,' he whispered, 'Everything's going to be alright.'

'He's the best of the best,' Araylia beamed.

Lisa chuckled, 'You two could be siblings.'

Araylia and Ianto looked at each other, expression a mirror of the others, 'What do you mean?' they said in unison.

Lisa laughed again, 'You both do that thing, the one that covers up what you're really feeling.'

Ianto rolled his eyes as Araylia said, 'Not the first time that's been mentioned,' a look of confusion flicked over Lisa's features, 'Jack said it earlier.'

Lisa nodded, 'You still having nightmares?'

'Ianto!' Araylia scowled at him, 'I told you not to bother her with that. What else have you been saying?'

He raised his hands up in submission, 'Nothing! Just that you were having trouble sleeping.'

Araylia nodded, 'That's okay then. No one knows about you so don't talk about others so freely.'

'He didn't mean any harm by it,' Lisa squeaked.

Araylia smiled down at Lisa, 'That's okay sweetheart, only joking.'

Lisa yawned, 'I think the new meds are making me drowsy.'

Ianto nodded, 'I thought it might do… want me to change it?'

Lisa shook her head, fighting to keep her eyes open, 'Pain is better.'

Ianto nodded, and climbed up to press a kiss to her mouth, 'Sleep well, Cariad. I love you.'

'I love you too,' Lisa replied, losing the battle to keep her eyes open.

Araylia smiled sadly at them both, before climbing up to kiss Lisa on the forehead.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The cog door rolled shut separating the team from Ianto and Araylia; they both looked at each other briefly before springing into action. Araylia rang Jubilee Pizza while Ianto rang Dr. Tanizaki, both nervously pacing across the boardroom as they spoke. Myfanwy swooped low in the hub squawking indignantly at the lack of attention.

'How long?' Araylia asked as Ianto hung up.

'Any minute now,' Ianto visibly gulped.

It was really happening. Everything he'd worked so long for, his Lisa was finally going to be fixed. A bubble of nervous laughter tried to work its way up to the back of his throat but he quelled it with a cough. Araylia reached up and put her hands around his neck pulling him down into a hug.

'Scared?'

Ianto did laugh then, 'Terrified.'

An alarm sounded alerting them to the Dr's arrival. Taking a steady breath Ianto turned to the door, steadying himself for what was ahead.

TWTWTWTWTWTW

Araylia shadowed Ianto and Tanizaki as they strode into the bowels of the hub, not saying a word as she slipped into Lisa's room behind them. She took Lisa's hand as Ianto leant up to kiss her, as Tanizaki's excitement got the better of him and his hands travelled all over Lisa's body, examining her, practically drooling over her. Batting him away she gave the Dr a stern look, 'She's a person you know. Not just machinery.'

Tanizaki took no notice of her and continued his heated discussion with Ianto, only acknowledging Araylia when he asked her to help move Lisa upstairs. Struggling with Lisa's body and the various devices keeping her alive they managed to lay her out on the autopsy table.

Myfanwy squawked again indignantly as she swooped low again, moving over to the main hub Araylia reached up to the pterodactyl making soothing noises to appease the animal, 'It's okay, we're just fixing our friend. We're not ignoring you.'

A gasp from behind her alerted Araylia to Tanizaki's success in transferring Lisa off of life support. Briefly looking up to the CCTV of the plass the colour drained from her face.

'Ianto!' she tore back to the medical bay, 'They're coming back!'

'Right, help us get her back downstairs, I'll clean up here. Move!'

Araylia went to stand in front of Lisa as Tanizaki lifted her to her feet, and faltered, 'L-Lisa?' she stood in front of the cyberwoman, not moving shaking her head, 'You...You're not-'

'Araylia!' Ianto shouted down at her.

Grabbing the woman's arm, Araylia felt tears flow down her face, 'What did you do to her?'

Tanizaki snorted, 'I fixed her!'

Struggling with the weight of her they managed to get Lisa back to her room. Gasping for breath Araylia felt a cold hand on her shoulder, 'What are you?'

Lisa cocked her head, 'I am upgraded.'

Brushing her off, she backed away, Tanizaki getting in the way and paying with his life. Araylia stumbled backwards and threw herself into the darkness of the tunnels as the power levels began to fluctuate. She sank down to the ground hugging her knees closely to her, tears rolling down her cheeks. Lisa had gone, the last link of her humanity snapped without the life support. Dragging herself to her feet she almost ran into Ianto as he was hurtling through the corridor.

'What's going on? The power- we'll get caught!'

They both burst into the room, Araylia froze as Ianto surged ahead to turn the conversion unit off, 'He's- he's-' fleeing the scene she heard Ianto's wail echo off of the walls. The image of Tanizaki's disfigured face burning in her mind she stumbled down endless corridors before the bile rose up in her throat. Emptying what little she had in her stomach, Araylia slumped against the wall, sliding down it as she closed her mind off to everything happening in the hub. She was brought out of her reverie when metallic footsteps became alarmingly close. Araylia sprinted after them, Gwen's voice bouncing off the walls, 'What are we gonna do?'

'I don't know.' Jack replied.

Araylia came out from behind the cyberwoman, attracting the attention of Jack.

'What the hell are you doing?' he hissed, 'Get over here!'

Araylia shook her head, 'I can't.'

Lisa turned and carried on down the tunnel. Turning to look for her, Araylia focused her gaze on Ianto and nodded imperceptibly, 'I'm sorry, Jack,' she whispered as she ran after the woman.

She heard Jack snarl, 'Get us back to the hub,' his anger overflowing. Araylia ran after the echoing footsteps, 'Lisa!' she screamed down the tunnel, 'Stop!' she slowed to a walk when the footsteps ceased. Frowning, she padded into the darkness keeping one hand on the wall for support.

'Lisa? I can help you. Please, Lisa,' her voice hitched, 'I can help you come back.'

A scream ripped from her throat as she felt an arm pinning her against the wall, the cold metal stinging through her clothes as a hand found its way to her neck. Araylia screamed again the panic rising in her chest; she thrashed against the hand projecting a force against her attacker. She heard something metal crash into the opposite wall and collapsing to the floor, a dull echo of her name bouncing down the wall to accompany her as she curled herself into a ball to ward off the impending panic attack that was forcing its way to the surface, 'I'm in the hub, I have my full ability, it's not that man, this is Lisa, I'm in the hub…' she repeated the lines over and over again until the words didn't make any sense and her head span.

When she opened her eyes, unaware that she had them shut, she tried to engage her brain function as she shook off the residual panic that was still clinging to her. She got up blearily, stumbling up the stairs; she made her way up to the main hub.

'Get behind me!' She rounded the corner to see Jack wielding a blowtorch and a bottle of BBQ sauce, Lisa advancing towards Jack, Ianto, Gwen and Owen, 'That's right. Stay back. This will at least give ya heartburn.'

'The power will run out. I can wait,' Lisa's metallic voice betraying any trace of humanity she might have left.

Araylia watched as Ianto struggled against Owen and Gwen, 'Jack, help her. Give her a chance to surrender.'

'You've seen what she's done,' Jack countered.

'We can reverse the process!'

Jack growled at him, 'I told you we're past that! Hold him back!'

'What are you gonna do?' Gwen asked against a struggling Ianto.

'Don't ask questions just get him on there and hold him!'

Araylia watched as they dragged Ianto onto the lift, 'Oh God,' she breathed snapping her head up towards Myfanwy's enclosure as Jack released the pterodactyl, trying to block out the sound of Ianto's desperate cries as Myfanwy descended on the cyberwoman and the lift ascended to the plass.

Araylia almost felt indignant at their lack of concern of her own whereabouts but the feeling was short lived as Myfanwy uttered a screech so horrifying it chilled her to the felt her heart stop in its tracks as two metal hands clasped around the pterodactyls neck, 'No!' she screamed, flying herself down to Myfanwy's aid she hammered at the cyberwomans arms, dragging them away from the pterodactyls neck. She dealt one last kick to the metal woman's flailing arms and pulled Myfanwy back up towards her enclosure. Araliya watched as Lisa retreated to the medical bay. Rubbing the pterodactyl's neck, she made soothing noises at the creature to abate its agitation.

'Bloody hell,' the strangely familiar welsh accent echoed around the hub.

Araylia shushed Myfanwy and leant over the edge of the enclosure.

'Ianto? Do you want these or not?'

Myfanwy screeched at Araylia causing her to rush back to the pterodactyl's side, 'It's okay. Shh,' she resumed rubbing the creature's neck, straining to see the pizza girl down below, 'Oh my God. Annie,' she breathed.

The girls scream shot through Araylia, eliciting a screech from the pterodactyl. She ran to the edge of the enclosure to see Lisa dragging the girl back to the basement, 'Stay here,' she told Myfanwy before throwing herself off the edge of the enclosure. Landing by the stairs, she hurtled down them the Annie's screams ringing in her ears. She burst into Lisa's room to see the metallic woman unscrewing the top of Annie's head like a jar. Araylia retched at the sight, moving forward she placed an arm on Lisa's, 'Stop this, you're hurting her,' she tried to pull Lisa's arms away from Annie's head but was shoved away unceremoniously. Catching herself again Araylia looked back up to see Annie sewing up her own head, her breath caught in her throat as she backed away from the room. As she ran towards the main hub she collided with Ianto, grabbing him by the arms she tried to halt him.

'Let me go! I have to save her.'

Shoving her harshly, Araylia stumbled to the ground for the umpteenth time that day, not bothering to get back up, she watched as Ianto rushed towards the bowls of the hub only stirring when she heard the cog door roll open. A pair of rough hands hauled her to her feet and were all over her body, checking for injury.

'Jeez, Princess, where the hell have you been?' Owen pulled her into a brief and unexpected hug before resuming his check on her.

Tosh and Gwen both scooped her up in a joint hug, pressing kisses into her hair, 'Oh, Sweetheart, I'm so sorry we left you down here with that thing.'

Jack barely acknowledged her as he growled, 'That's enough time. Let's go.'

The team hurried off towards the basement, Araylia in tow. They arrived to see Ianto pointing his gun at Annie, the utter despair written on his face. His hand was shaking with the effort of trying and he finally sunk to the floor. Araylia jumped as Jack fired his gun, the rest of the team joining him soon after. Pushing her way through the team, she knelt beside Ianto, tears clouding her vision, she leaned down to Lisa's body and pressed a kiss to her forehead she repeated the action to Annie's body as well, 'I'm so sorry,' she sniffed. Grabbing Ianto's blood drenched hand in her own, she led him towards the shower room. Almost shuddering under the gaze of the team; almost weeping when she felt the betrayal radiating off of Jack.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto was running on automatic pilot. The moment he'd heard the gun shots his mind had shut down, a feeble attempt to protect him from the reality of the situation. Lisa was gone. Not only Lisa but he'd got Annie killed as well. He felt Araylia strip him of his clothes, her hands trembling as she struggled with the buttons on his shirt. Offering no help he let her de clothe him and guide him into the shower. He felt numb. That was the only way to describe it. Araylia was saying something but his mind couldn't comprehend it. Oh god. He'd gotten her involved as well, she knew everything he did. She would have to face the wrath of Jack Harkness with him, but the difference was that he would be retconned and she...

He shuddered as he felt the water hit his back, the temperature adjusted and he saw the first drops of blood wash themselves away. He heard the shower next to him start up and turned minutely. Araylia was washing blood off of her own skin, bottom lip trembling with emotional effort. He repositioned himself under the water and began to move his joints, slowly and methodically cleaning the red off of his body. Turning off the water he was met by Araylia holding a towel towards him. He wrapped it around himself, glancing over to see two sets of clothes set out for them both.

Araylia followed Ianto's gaze, 'I found your emergency supply of suits a while ago...I didn't know if you'd want a suit but...I didn't have anything else to give you.'

When it was evident that he wasn't going to move Araylia began to dress herself quickly and then moved to his clothes. She dressed him like a mother would dress her child, 'I thought I was supposed to be the child in this relationship,' she mumbled humourlessly.

'Thank you,' Ianto croaked, he looked down at her with tears shining in his eyes, 'I'm sor-'

She pressed a finger to his lips, 'You have nothing to apologise for, Ianto. I promise you that.'

'But I-'

'Not another word,' she sighed as she tied his laces, 'We have to go back up there you know...we have-have to face him.'

She drew the last word out, unable to say his name. Her resolve had crumbled with Lisa's demise and she could no longer remember why she thought it would- it could- ever have worked out. All she felt now was a crippling guilt grasping her throughout her body, making it hard to breath. She hadn't felt this awful since...

She sighed again, taking a deep breath in to steel herself; she enfolded Ianto into a hug and began to lead him towards the main hub.

Ianto took a deep breath, 'Now or never, eh?' Araylia whispered in his ear.

He nodded and stepped through the cog door, looking straight up at Jack's office. He felt the beginnings of his guilt nibble through the numbness, nibble through the hatred, at the sight of the Captain. He stared up at Jack waiting for his decision.

Jack nodded.

Ianto took a moment to make sure Jack wasn't going to change his mind before he nodded almost indiscernibly back. He walked over to the living area of the hub and started to clear up.

Araylia hung back behind Ianto, awaiting his fate now awaiting hers. Jack stared down at her, a piercing glare that made her soul quiver with the ferocity of it. She gulped as he turned away from her. The tears had overflowed before she had even realised they had formed. Nevertheless, she understood. Ianto had betrayed Jack for love, loyalty and devotion...what had she betrayed him for?


	10. Nightmares

***Re-Written Version***

_Ianto blinked again. Lisa was still standing in front of him, "Lisa?" he called out softly, "You- You're-,"_

"_Why didn't you save me, Ianto?" Ianto flinched away from the words, "Why did you let Jack kill me? Why were you fucking him when I was in so much pain?" _

"_I didn't- I couldn't-"_

"_You will be upgraded," Lisa's metallic voice echoed, the tinny footsteps ringing out as she walked towards him, "You betrayed me, Ianto," she grabbed him by the neck. _

"_Lisa- please," he choked out, tears falling from his eyes, "I love you," he screamed at her vacant face. _

_Gunshots surrounded them and a pained expression flickered across Lisa's face as it morphed into Annie's, "You killed me too, Ianto." _

_Ianto clutched at the girl as she fell to the ground, blood saturating his clothes, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean for it-"_

_Suddenly Araylia appeared, covered in blood, 'It's my fault,' she whispered, 'I did it. I could have stopped you and I did it all. I killed them both,' she brought a gun up to her own head, 'Another body on your head, Ianto Jones,' she snarled as she pulled the trigger. _

_Ianto screamed, Annie's body jerking upwards in his grasp, 'I'm dead because of you. I'm dead and I didn't even have anything to do with Torchwood.'_

_Ianto shook his head, 'I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,' he froze as he felt the barrel of a gun being pressed into the back of his head. Jack was stood impossibly close to him, pressing the barrel into his head. _

"_You don't deserve to live," he snarled at Ianto, "after all you've caused." _

_Jack pulled the trigger and a white light flashed in front of his eyes._

_TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW_

Ianto woke up screaming, covered in an impossibly cold sweat. An arm wrapped around him from the left and he looked down into Araylia's face. She smiled up at him timidly, 'Yeah, the nightmares are an absolute bitch.'

He opened his mouth and blinked at her, 'What are you…?' he left the question hanging in the air.

'Doing here?' she smiled more broadly, 'I know I'm not exactly who you'd expect to be here...' she bit her lip, 'I just- I wanted- I needed to get out of the hub, and I wanted to see how you were.'

Ianto snorted, 'Two days later, how'd you think I am?'

'Sorry, stupid question. But I wish someone was there for me when I...if you want me to leave I can-'

'It's okay,' he cut her off.

She offered up a sheepish grin, 'Jack won't even look at me.'

'I know the feeling,' he sighed into the pillow. Ianto's hatred of the Captain had lasted about a day. Deep down he knew that Jack had been right to do what he had done, but it still hurt. But it didn't hurt as much as being banished from the hub had...a feeling coupled with something Ianto definitely didn't want to examine at this tender junction.

'No, Ianto...you'll be okay with him. Eventually,' she turned her back to him, 'He understands the reason for your betrayal. You have a justification...I don't.'

'He can't stay mad at you forever...can he?' When he received no reply, Ianto sighed, 'How did you get out of the hub anyway?'

'I've done it before,' she mumbled into her pillow, 'When Suzie went crazy and that whole debacle when Gwen joined...'

'Jack must've locked you in your cell though...how did you get out without setting off any alarms?'

Araylia almost laughed, 'Are you kidding?' she turned over to look at him, 'Ianto, do you have any idea of what I am capable of?'

Ianto shuddered at the almost predatory look in her eyes, 'Clearly not,' he ran his tongue over his incisors, a habit he'd picked up from the girl in front of him, 'Did you ever use your ability on...Lisa.'

Araylia leapt out of the bed and towards the living room, 'Don't, Ianto.'

He followed her out the room, throwing on a tee-shirt as he went, 'You did. You looked into her...mind,' he grabbed her by the arm, 'tell me what you saw, please, I need to know-'

She leapt away from Ianto and clutched her arm as if stung, 'Don't restrain me, Ianto. That's definitely not going to help you,' she studied him carefully; 'You want to know whether she was just using you?'

Ianto nodded slowly, 'It's driving me crazy. What if Jack was right? She was just manipulating me?'

Araylia shook her head, bemused, 'Ianto, if she was manipulating you don't you think I'd know? Don't you think I'd tell you?'

'So she- she-'

'When Tanizaki disconnected the life support...something detached in her mind,' she felt her voice catch in her throat, 'It was like...the last link she has to her humanity was kept alive by the support system...and without it...well...'

Ianto felt the tears run down his face; he'd known something was wrong. He always had a niggling at the back of his mind that he was doing the wrong thing, but his love for Lisa drowned out the voice of reason.

'Ianto,' Araylia wrapped her arms around him, 'I'm sorry.'

Ianto reached up to hug her back, 'Me too. If you'd never found her...if I didn't-'

'Hush, Ianto. I would have found her eventually.'

Ianto drew back, 'Why did you help me? You had absolutely no reason too...'

Araylia had tears glistening in her eyes, 'I dunno...I thought maybe if I could help you save the person you loved then...' she sniffed, 'maybe I could atone for what I did to the person I loved,' she batted Ianto away when he reached out to her, 'Stupid I know. I don't think I'll ever be able to atone for what I did to him...but I thought maybe...' she trailed off as tears spilled over her cheeks as well.

'What a great pair we make, huh?' he smiled humourlessly, 'Coffee?'

'Love some.'

They both whipped their heads round to see Jack stood in the open doorway.

Araylia shrunk backwards, 'Jack, I-'

Jack's expression darkened, 'You were forbidden to step foot out of your cell.'

'I wanted to see Ianto...' she shrunk further back.

Jack emitted a low growl from the back of his throat as he glared at her.

'Sir, don't be so harsh on her, please,' Ianto stepped in front of Araylia, the echoes of his rage still bubbling low in his stomach, 'Blame me, but don't blame her.'

Jack snorted, 'If anything, Ianto, I blame her more than you,' he returned his gaze onto Araylia, 'Get back to the hub. I don't want to see your face above the basement level for at least a week.'

Araylia emitted a choked gasp, halfway between a sob and a wail, as she wrapped her arms around Ianto. Placing a small kiss on his cheek, leaving a trail of tears as she took her face away from his, 'I'll see you soon,' turning to Jack she shivered visibly, 'How am I to get back? I- I'm too scared to-'

'You got yourself here you can get yourself back,' Jack said never taking his eyes off Ianto.

Araylia's shuddering increased as she looked at the doorway, wringing her hands together in a massively nervous gesture; she shakily made her way out of Ianto's flat.

Ianto looked down at the floor, now that Araylia had left he found he couldn't face Jack, 'you didn't have to be so cruel to her did you?' he spoke to the floor, 'you know she's terrified of being outside alone.'

Jack scoffed but said nothing.

Ianto felt the rage flare up, 'you here to retcon me then?' he stared accusingly at the floor, simultaneously fearing and praying to hear Jack's response. He knew what he had done. That he had risked everything he had worked for up until now; 'Well?' he prompted not wanting to prolong the inevitable any longer.

'No, Ianto. I'm not going to retcon you.'

Ianto looked up into Jack's face expecting to see rage and hatred etched into the Captain's features but he saw nothing more than pity and sorrow.

'Why not?'

Jack snorted, 'I think some gratitude would be nice.'

Ianto's expression darkened, 'Thank you so much, Sir.'

'Sincerity would get you further too. You've risked the safety- the lives- of _my _team and I'm gracious enough to let you keep your memory in spite of that.'

'And what a fantastic memory it is,' Ianto deadpanned.

'Ianto, I didn't come here to fight with you.'

Ianto snorted, 'And exactly what did you come here for, sir?'

Jack took in the insubordinate look on Ianto's face, willing himself to feel the anger, the hatred that he knew he should feel towards the young man. But he couldn't. Jack almost sighed; he couldn't hate Ianto because he understood. No matter how much the betrayal had hurt him. He couldn't hate someone who had made such a big mistake purely in the name of love, devotion and loyalty.

Jack did sigh this time, 'I came to say that I'm sorry Ianto,' the look of shock on the Welshman's face prompted him to continue, 'I'm sorry I never saw how much pain you were in. And I'm sorry it had to come to this, but you understand there was no other way don't you?'

Ianto searched Jack's face for any insincerity, but he found none. Instead he sat back on the sofa, looking the definition of defeat as tears began to make their way down his cheeks, 'I know,' the admission was barely audible but it was still there, 'but it still hurts. I'm still angry.'

Jack sat next to Ianto and pulled him into his arms, 'I would be shocked if you were anything else. But, I just needed you to know that I'm sorry and that I forgive you Ianto.'

Ianto nodded slowly and rested fully into Jack's embrace, 'What about Araylia?'

Jack tensed, 'I don't know.'

Ianto shifted slightly, 'Didn't you hear why she did it though? You must have heard her...it doesn't feel right for me to gain forgiveness so easily.'

'I'll deal with her later.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

After what felt like hours Ianto shifted in Jack's grasp, feeling his back muscles protest at the slight movement, 'What do we do now, Jack?' Ianto spoke softly, 'Do I still have a job?' he swallowed audibly, 'I can't go back to normality.'

Jack sighed, 'Of course you still have a job, Ianto. But-' he paused considering how to phrase his own feelings, 'it's going to take me time as well. You betrayed me, my trust. And you need time to rest, to process what the hell happened.'

Ianto sat up, 'You're suspending me?'

Jack grimaced, 'More like…a paid holiday.'

'For how long?'

'I don't know yet...for as long as we all need.'

'So that's it then? You're going to banish me from the hub?' Ianto stood up and began pacing the room, 'I've been here for two days and already I'm going out of my mind. I can't stop thinking about everything.'

Jack stood up to still Ianto's pacing, 'I'm not going to let you work yourself into the ground just because you don't want to give yourself time to process.'

'I don't want to process! I just want to carry on.'

'You will carry on, Ianto. When you're able to get past this.'

Ianto snorted, 'But we don't know when.'

'No. We don't know when. And it's gonna take a hell of a lot longer if you fight the healing process.'

Ianto stopped pacing long enough to take in a deep breath. Logically he knew that Jack was right that he should give his body a chance to heal emotionally, mentally and physically- but he didn't want to think about what horror was facing him in the depths of his subconscious. He'd known he hadn't had a chance to even process the delight of Canary Wharf yet. No, stopping to think couldn't be an option.

'I want to come back to work.'

Jack squared up to him, 'Tough.'

'Let me come back to work.'

'No.'

A bubble of rage wormed its way to the surface of Ianto's psyche and the next thing he knew him and Jack were on the floor in a tangle of limbs. Scratching, kicking, punching, biting anywhere he could on the Captain. He felt a kick connect to Jack's back and took the opportunity to straddle his opponent, punching him in the face once before the body underneath rolled him off in a move that screamed expertise, but Ianto had rage on his side. The adrenaline fuelled rush that gave him just that bit more determination even against someone he assumed was experienced in hand to hand combat. Jack struggled against Ianto's onslaught, caught off guard by the sudden attack. He'd expected the rage at some point he just didn't expect it to take the form of physical violence. Raising his arms up to protect his face he used his legs to twist Ianto so the younger man's face was pressed into the carpet, his arms flailing in the air in a desperate attempt to gain purchase. Grabbing Ianto's arms as well, Jack pinned them to the floor as he straddled Ianto's back.

'Jeeez, I don't think I've seen anyone so desperate to come back to work.'

Ianto mumbled something incoherent into the carpet. Jack shifted back slightly so the younger man could life his head. Taking advantage of the movement Ianto began to buck up against Jack managing to twist himself onto his back before Jack had him pinned to the floor again.

'Get off me.'

Jack raised an eyebrow, 'Do you really think I'm going to let you up after that?'

As if in reply, Ianto struggled under Jack's weight again, 'I can barely breathe!'

Jack gasped mockingly, 'Are you calling me fat?'

'If the cookie crumbs fit.'

Jack laughed, 'So you know who the midnight cookie thief is then?'

Ianto rolled his eyes, 'I do all your dry cleaning, sir. The crumbs in the pockets of your coat are abysmal.'

'Well then, Jones, you best find a better hiding spot for all the treats.'

Ianto snorted, 'What difference would it make? Your sweet tooth would track anything sugary in a ten mile radius.'

Jack hummed, 'Like the triple chocolate chips you have in the cupboard over your sink...'

Jack slowly got off of Ianto; gauging for another attack but Ianto seemed too preoccupied with the information Jack had surprised him with.

'How do you know where I keep my biscuits?'

Jack smiled, 'Like you said, best sweet tooth tracker in town.'

Ianto sighed as he made his way to the kitchen, 'While you're here might as well make you a coffee.'

Jack stopped him with a gentle hand on his chest, 'Ianto, you don't have to do that for me. I'm supposed to be helping you.'

'Just-' Ianto closed his eyes for a brief moment, 'let me do something productive. Even if it is only coffee.'

Jack followed him into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar he found there, 'Never imagined you to be the breakfast bar type.'

'It came with the kitchen.'

Jack nodded and continued looking around. It was spotless as he'd imagined it to be, but whether that was through Ianto's pedantic nature or the fact that he hadn't been in the kitchen for a while he wasn't sure. He watched Ianto potter about in the kitchen as he waited for the state of the art coffee machine to heat up. Ianto's movements were mechanic, almost calculated as not to allow any emotion to be shown through the simple movement of retrieving coffee mugs from the cupboard above his head.

'What are you thinking about Ianto?'

The young man looked at Jack curiously, 'How many sugars you take, how much milk. What type of coffee I want to drink,' he shook his head, 'Why?'

Jack shrugged, 'Just wondering.'

Ianto studied Jack for a minute before continuing with his task, 'What were you thinking of, Sir?'

Jack almost giggled, 'I'm afraid it would be too sordid a thought to be vocalised.'

'Nothing changes there then,' he filled the mugs with coffee, adding three sugars for himself and four for Jack, 'I'm assuming you're in a very sweet mood, yes?'

'You know me so well,' he smiled as the steaming mug was placed in front of him, Jack's mouth almost watering as the rich scent hit his nose, 'How do you make coffee so good?'

Ianto smiled, 'That's for me to know and to use as punishment when I'm annoyed.'

Jack winced, 'Ah yes. The great decaf war of last year.'

'Or worse, the camomile tea depression of six weeks ago.'

They both laughed at the memory of Gwen insisting that they all try and kick their caffeine habits, resulting in failure when Araylia had made all the tea bags Gwen'd brought through the door fly into the water tower basin.

'We'll be alright, Ianto.'

Ianto sighed, 'I know, Sir.'

Jack chuckled, 'Ianto, can you please decide whether you're going to call me "Sir" or "Jack". It'll make role playing easier to recognise.'

Ianto rolled his eyes, smiling with the growing ease of banter between the two of them. Maybe they really were going to be alright. Taking a swig of his coffee, Ianto contemplated his suspension.

'Jack...' he let the name roll around on his tongue, 'I don't think I'll be able to stay away from work for long.'

Jack studied his for a moment, calculating how to respond; he didn't want another fist fight on the carpet, 'What are you suggesting?'

'I'm not really suggesting anything. More stating.'

Jack sighed, 'Just take it one day at a time, Ianto,' he laughed, 'I guess the day you can come back is the day you feel like staying home.'

'And if I never feel like that?'

'No "ifs", Ianto. Only "when's" please.'

Ianto shook his head, 'You win, Jack. I'll stay here...for now.'

Jack grinned, 'That's all I ask,' he placed his hand over Ianto's, leaning closer to the man when Ianto didn't pull away. He placed a slow kiss on Ianto's mouth, lingering slightly too long for it to count as a chaste kiss. Ianto responded immediately, as though it were an ingrained response to the older man.

Pulling back slowly, Jack grinned again, 'More of that later, Jones. I promise you that.'

Ianto smiled, 'Can you please decide whether you're going to call me "Ianto" or "Jones". It'll make role playing easier to recognise.'


	11. Telepathy for Beginners

**I was gonna re write this with the escapades from Countrycide in there but I thought that would have been too heavy in a row, that and Countrycide stuff has been done to death. **

***Re written version***

Araylia looked across at Ianto, frowning slightly at his withdrawn attitude. First he'd lost Lisa and now he'd nearly been eaten by members of his own species…if that wasn't enough of a mind-fuck she didn't know what was. She knew Ianto still hadn't fully recovered from the incident with Lisa but he was determined to show Jack that he wasn't made of glass; no matter how much the Captain treated him like it.

Araylia sighed, she still wasn't exactly in the Captain's good books but she wasn't in the dog house anymore either. Jack nearly treated her like he did before Lisa...but occasionally he'd do something to remind her of how she'd betrayed him.

Araylia flicked her eyes over to the cog door as it rolled backwards revealing the team struggling with various items: Owen and Gwen had a boxful of bones while Tosh and Jack were discussing the rusted metal device in their hands. As soon as the device was set down Jack immediately set to scoping the area for Ianto's whereabouts.

'Ianto!' Jack called up to him, 'couldn't be a dear and make us a round of coffee could ya?'

Ianto smiled at Jack, his mood visibly lightening at his mere presence in the hub, 'Of course, Sir.'

'Good,' Jack beamed back at him, 'Bring mine to my office, yeah?'

Araylia rolled her eyes in a typical Ianto fashion as she watched the young Welshman practically skip to the kitchenette area. She was momentarily distracted by Gwen and Owen's hysterical giggling, it was obvious to everyone in the hub that they were shagging, excluding maybe Tosh- she was blind as far as Owen was concerned. Araylia grimaced as she felt Tosh's bewilderment at her co-workers flippant lack of care towards her work, her hurt at Owen's graphic comments, and her frustration at having to rebuild the programme from scratch and when she finally decided it wasn't worth it. Araylia watched as Tosh grabbed her jacket and fled from the hub, narrowly avoiding Ianto on the way to the cog door.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'That's a pretty necklace, Tosh.'

Toshiko glanced up to see Araylia hovering over her head, 'Thank you,' she smiled at the girl nervously, 'I- I got it from- from a friend,' she shrugged frowning slightly. Why couldn't she hear Araylia's thoughts?

'I'd love one but…' Araylia shrugged as she set herself on her feet, 'I don't need one, do I?' she raised her eyebrow as if challenging Tosh to say something.

'Well…like a said a friend gave me it so…I don't know where it's from.'

Araylia smiled at Tosh, _Oh I'd bet my life on that, Toshiko. _

Tosh bit her lip and cast a fearful glance up towards Gwen and Owen.

Araylia laughed, _I won't tell them that you've been listening, _she closed the gap between them and put her arms around the Asian woman, _I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into…_

Toshiko bit her lip, 'Don't tell Jack, please.'

'I don't know if I can do that...I won't tell him...for now. But if things get...well. Then I'll have too.'

'I'll get rid of it. I promise.'

Araylia smiled, 'I wish that was true, Tosh. I really do.'

_TWTWTWTWTWTWTW_

Ianto stepped into the autopsy bay to see Gwen in a fit of laughter again, 'you were crap though, Owen, did you even have any training?'

'Shut it you!' Owen launched up the stairs to grab Gwen who shrieked in mock terror.

Ianto rolled his eyes, 'I'll just leave your coffee here then shall I?' he rolled his eyes again on receiving no reply.

He made his way up to Jacks office leaving his co- workers shill shrieks behind him, he knocked on the door not waiting for a reply before stepping into the office.

Jack smiled as Ianto placed the coffee in front of him, 'Just what the doctor ordered, Thanks Ianto.'

'Anytime, Sir,' he perched on the edge of Jack's desk, the constant pain subsiding in the Captains presence, 'bad conversation with the Prime Minister?'

'Don't get me started,' Jack reached around Ianto and snuggled his face into the Welshman's lap, 'You sure you don't wanna take over as negotiator? I could put it in your contract…'

Ianto laughed, 'Don't even think about it, Jack.'

Jack reached up and kissed Ianto on the mouth, 'How are you, Ianto?'

'All the better now your here.'

Jack grinned, 'You'd miss me if I weren't.'

'Hardly,' Ianto said dryly, 'I wouldn't have to make so much coffee with your absence.'

Jack pouted, 'So cruel, Ianto Jones,' he reached up to capture the young mans mouth in another kiss, 'you're definitely going to have to make it up to me…'

Ianto cocked his eyebrow, smiling down at Jack in a seductive manner, 'Where exactly should I start…Sir?'

'Well...I think there's a package that needs dealing with...'

Ianto snorted, 'Please tell me you didn't just refer to your crotch as a package. Who even does that anymore?'

Jack grabbed Ianto around the waist and pulled him into his lap, 'Us hopeless people who delight in office banter.'

Ianto pushed backwards into Jack's lap causing the older to hiss in pleasure, 'Well, seems like this...package...needs urgent attention,' Ianto twisted around on Jack's lap so he was facing him, grinding his hips downwards he whispered into Jack's ear, 'I'll get right on it...Sir.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen looked over her shoulder, 'Owen! We're at work. What if someone sees us?'

Owen pressed his mouth over Gwen's again, 'Shut it, Cooper. You love the thrill.'

Gwen giggled as Owen's hand snaked over her thigh, biting back a gasp as she ran her hands down his torso, 'Fuuuck.'

'All this fucking going on in my house and no one has the decency to do it in a bed...'

Gwen and Owen sprang apart, looking up at a smug Araylia.

'We weren't- I mean- we-'

'Save it, Gwen. It's bloody obvious anyway. Ever since...your time away in the countryside...right?'

They all looked up as Ianto came out of Jack's office, looking slightly flushed and carrying a pile of folders.

'This has got nothing to do with you, Princess,' Owen whispered sharply.

Araylia shrugged, 'I know that. I just thought maybe you should pick a more...discreet location than the autopsy bay,' she grinned at Gwen, 'Although maybe Gwen likes being fucked on a metal table?'

Gwen turned red, 'Don't tell anyone...please.'

Araylia shook her head, looking up as Jack came out of his office, looking as unruffled as ever.

'Hey, Kiddo,' Jack called out, 'Get your ass over here.'

Araylia raised her eyebrows at Gwen and Owen again as she walked up to where Jack was standing.

'You know, Jack,' she sighed as she followed him into his office, 'I'm not a kid.'

'I know,' he chuckled at her, 'You're a kid compared to the rest of us though,' Jack chuckled as Araylia pouted, 'Such a child!'

'Coming from you!'

Jack smiled at her before turning serious, 'You notice anything strange lately?'

Araylia considered the question before laughing, 'Depends what you mean by strange…No weevil sightings for a while…Gwen and Owen shagging their brains out…Gwen and Owen thinking that no one else realises,' she snorted, 'Then there's Ianto…looks like the weight of the world has been taken off his shoulders, finally…and you're in a much more cheerful mood…'

Jack bit back his laugher at the girl's blatant knowledge of the personal goings on in the hub, he felt a small pang in his gut as he contemplated his next question, 'You'd tell me if there was something going on wouldn't you.'

Araylia gulped, 'Yes.'

'So you've noticed something then.'

'I- I wasn't a hundred percent sure...I was going to tell you when I got more information...'

Jack's expression hardened, 'So tell me what's going on with Tosh. I don't like the way she's behaving...it reminds me too much of...'

'She's got something- a device- that makes her...telepathic.'

Jack nodded, 'I felt her scrabbling around in the back of my head earlier…'

'She's been scrabbling in everyone's head's...'

'What I don't get is…how? Where did she get the technology? She surely didn't create it herself?'

Araylia barked out a short laugh, 'Tosh is brilliant, Jack, but I don't think she can…"level the pitch between man and God",' she sighed, 'I think there's someone manipulating her...'

'Think?' Jack raised his eyebrows, 'Kid, you can know anything you want.'

'I know that...it's just...why should I search people's minds just because I can...'

'I think this is a time where we can forgive you any moral neglect.'

Araylia glared at him, 'Like you've forgiven me?'

'I told you,' Jack sighed, 'I forgave you for...that.'

'Not completely.'

Jack growled, 'Stop quibbling and find out what's wrong with Toshiko.'

Araylia's eyes flashed briefly, before she closed them and breathed deeply, 'There is someon- no. A woman,' she smiled, 'Jeez, Tosh. Who knew?'

'What?'

'It seems our darling Toshiko has found herself a female lover,' Araylia smiled sadly.

Jack raised his eyebrows, 'If I weren't so damn worried I'd be throwing her a party right about now,' he sighed, 'couldn't she find a nice girl to screw?'

Araylia laughed, 'So intent on ridding us of our 21st century values.'

'You betcha,' Jack sighed, 'I'm sorry, kid. I know I shouldn't be angry at you anymore but it stings, ya know?'

'If I can forgive myself, literally, for killing the only man I've ever loved then this should be child's play.'

'Well when this is over I'll make a conscious effort.'

Araylia snorted, 'So…what are you gonna do when the shit hits the fan?'

Jack looked down at Tosh's workstation, 'Don't worry, I always have a back up plan.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Ianto-o-o-o,' Araylia sung down the aisles of the archive, 'where are you?'

Ianto rolled his eyes, 'T through V,' an Araylia shape blur passed over his head, the sound of a smack sent him running down the aisle, 'You idiot! What are you doing?'

'Sorry,' a trickle of blood trailed down her chin, 'I wasn't concentrating,' she frowned, 'Ianto…we have to get up to the main hub.'

'What? Are you concussed?' Ianto helped her to her feet, frowning at the worry on her features over one that should have been of pain.

'No,' she grabbed his hand, 'I'm fine, Ianto! Come on!' she brought them both up, flying down the aisle and up towards the main hub.

'Araylia! What are you doing?' Ianto yelled at her, moving his arm to get a better grip on his designated driver.

'We have to get up there and help Jack,' she set them down and they both rushed into the main area of the hub.

'Then another came…a soldier. He tried to shoot me,' Mary swaggered across the hub floor, 'So I plunged my new human hand into his chest and…plucked out his heart.'

Araylia watched as the team tried to handle the situation, tried to think of a way out of this situation. Jack locked eyes with Araylia, _grab Toshiko. _

Araylia nodded almost imperceptibly causing Ianto to cast a confused glance over to Araylia before snapping his line of sight over to Tosh.

'I'll give you the transporter myself,' Jack moved closer to Mary and after a moment of indecision Mary flung Toshiko away from her body and waited to receive the transporter from Jack.

Araylia drew Tosh towards her and clamped her arms around her, protecting her and trapping her in the embrace, Jack was going to destroy Mary.

They all watched as the light filled the hub and Mary disappeared. Tosh ripped herself from Araylia's grip, 'what is she- has she gone home?'

'I re-set the coordinates.'

'Where to?'

'To the centre of the sun.'

Araylia visibly flinched as she felt Tosh's almost instant heartbreak causing Ianto to put a protective hand on her shoulder.

'You killed her.'

'Yes,' Jack's vehemence shone through that one word and the whole team felt Tosh crumble with it.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'She's topside with Jack before you ask.'

Araylia put her arms around Ianto's neck, 'I wasn't going to. I was more going to ask whether you were okay.'

Ianto twisted his head to look at her face, 'Why wouldn't I be?'

She pressed a kiss to his left temple, 'I'm not stupid, Ianto.'

'Talking about… Lisa with someone other than you or Jack was…refreshing more than painful.'

Araylia nodded, 'I'm glad…Will Tosh be okay?'

Ianto considered the question, 'She will be…we all have to be okay to keep up with this job.'

Araylia nodded, 'I know that and I don't even work here,' she flicked her gaze over to the cog door as Tosh stepped back through, 'Looks like Jack finished with her,' She kissed Ianto on the cheek before jumping off the rail to meet Tosh by her desk.

'How do you do it?' Tosh said to her without looking up, 'How can you stand to hear what people think of you, what they really think without going…'

'Insane?' Araylia smiled, 'You didn't have a choice, Tosh. You couldn't filter out what people thought…you got the whole package. I'm…different. I can choose whether to listen to them or not…and I quickly learnt what you have,' she wrapped her arms around Tosh, kissing her lightly on the forehead, 'Better to live in ignorance than a day in knowledge.'


	12. Death is Part of Living

***Re Written Version***

Araylia rolled over and snuggled her face into Myfanwy's neck, 'What's the latest?'

Myfanwy squawked nonchalantly, yawned and returned to her nap, apparently unaffected by the goings on in the hub.

'Oh don't give me that you silly birdie. You love them as much as they love you.'

Myfanwy blinked at Araylia before snorting.

'Oh if dinosaurs could roll their eyes!' she patted the pterodactyl on the beak softly, chuckling to herself. She leant over the edge of Myfanwy's lookout, frowning when she saw the team walking with purpose towards Jack's office. She jumped off the platform, catching herself before falling on top of Ianto.

'Is that necessary?'

'Well that depends,' she grinned, 'Did I scare you?'

'Hardly,' Ianto rolled his eyes, 'You should pick a new target.'

'Yeah, yeah.' Araylia sighed, 'What's gone down? Weevil? Rogue alien? Technology gone wrong?'

'Murder in the name of Torchwood. Quite literally. It was written in the victim's blood.'

'Ianto, when you're quite finished?' Jack looked down at them both, 'There's a case to be dealing with.'

Jack disappeared back into his office, 'Better hurry up,' Araylia smiled, 'Don't wanna keep Daddy Dearest waiting.'

When the team had emerged again the decision to bring back Suzie was definite.

'Jack, don't do this.'

'This has nothing to do with you, Araylia. We have to.'

Araylia hovered near Gwen nervously, 'Think about this, Gwen, please. I'm begging you. Please don't bring her back.'

'But we have to, Sweetheart; we need to find out about Pilgrim.'

Araylia groaned in frustration and snatched the stopwatch out of Ianto's hand, 'You can't do it without this!'

'Araylia!' Jack snapped, 'Stop acting like a child. We have to do this. Give back that stopwatch and back off.'

'You'll regret this, Jack. I promise you that,' she jumped over the railing, retreating to Toshiko's work station.

When Gwen failed to resurrect her Araylia thought that they'd been saved from having to bring her back. Until Own mentioned the knife. Araylia watched as Suzie burst into life. All the way to life. She grabbed Tosh's hand, eliciting a squeak of surprise from the technician.

'Araylia? Are you alright?'

'This was a very bad idea Tosh,' she looked at the Japanese woman, 'I can't see in her head. Why can't I see into her head?'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Rayla?' Ianto sauntered through the archives, 'Are you down here?'

'I'm in "Former Employees".'

'Looking up Suzie's folder?'

Araylia quirked her mouth upwards, 'No. I was going to but...what's the point? It's not like she'd have left anything to incriminate herself, is it?'

'What makes you think she's got something planned?'

'Oh, Ianto. Don't be dense,' she shook her head, 'Why can't I see in her head? What's she hiding?'

Ianto shrugged, 'Maybe it's the glove? Maybe your getting your wires crossed,' Araylia gave him a withering look, 'Jeez, if looks could kill.'

'Don't be so naive. There's nothing and no one on this earth whose head I cannot get into.'

Ianto swallowed, 'So you can-'

'See in your head? Yes,' Araylia rolled her eyes, 'Don't be so melodramatic, I wouldn't look unless I had a specific reason too. I respect boundaries.'

'Okay,' Ianto sighed, 'Say Suzie did have something planned, what would it be?'

'That's just it. Who the hell knows?' Araylia threw a file across the room in her frustration before lying back on the top of several filing cabinets, 'And yes, I'll pick that up. What are the others doing?'

Ianto stared at the file, obsessing over the way several of the sheets had become creased, 'They...ah. They went out to find this...McKenzie girl. And to- to stop. Max,' he tutted and went to pick up the folder, his concentration faltering on account of it, 'Suzie and Tosh are monitoring them from...her...you've gone haven't you?' he turned around to find he was talking to the air, 'You never picked the file up!'

Araylia ran towards the main hub, stopping short when Suzie spotted her emerging from the basement.

'Oh God. You're still here?'

'You know why I used to call you Woozy?' Araylia smirked into Suzie Costello's face, 'Because every time I saw you, you made me feel ill.'

'Well don't worry Ray- Ray. I'll be dead again soon enough,' she turned her attention back to the monitor, 'Why don't you go play with your birdie and get away from me. Do us both a favour.'

Araylia jumped up to perch on Myfanwy's platform, 'All the better to see you from up here, Woozy!' She turned to the pterodactyl who'd been agitated from her sudden appearance and tense mood, 'Shh, love. I'm sorry. I can't help it. I don't want that dead woman in my home!'

'This was more my home that yours, Ray- Ray!'

'Both of you shut up,' Jack's voice had a metallic twang from the speakers, 'Suzie, concentrate we need you to find this guy. Araylia go back to the archives or something. Just get away from each other.'

Araylia mimed zipping her mouth and turned back to the dinosaur, quietly listening to the team's progress. Smiling at Jack's crack about the stun gun, she shifted to see Tosh wheeling Suzie back to the interrogation room, jumping down quickly she headed to the cells. She wanted to see this 'Max'. Jack and Owen manovered the now placid man into the cell Ianto had prepared, creeping out after Jack and Owen had gone back to the main hub, she stared down at the man, 'What made you so special to Woozy?' there was nothing but emptiness in the man's mind and Araylia screamed in frustration. Was it just purely the overdosing of retcon that made this man so...blank? Was she just being paranoid about all of this? Maybe Ianto was right, maybe there was a simple explanation for this. Maybe it all was just a strange series of events that had nothing to do with each other. Araylia sighed and sat in front of Max's cell. She had to be right; something just didn't...feel right to her.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Sir, I've got that report you requested.'

Jack watched blankly as Ianto dropped a file on his desk, 'Report?'

'I don't remember asking for any reports?'

Ianto nodded, 'No I thought you wouldn't, what with everything that's been going on.'

Jack shook his head confused, 'So...?'

'So,' the corner of Ianto's mouth quirked upwards. He still wasn't sure why he was here, especially with a lame excuse. He shifted his weight from foot to foot, suddenly uncomfortable in his suit.

'Oh. I understand now,' Jack smiled at Ianto as he walked towards him, 'I understand perfectly,' he pressed his body flush against Ianto's for maximum contact, tracing Ianto's arms delicately with his hands, 'We need to do some...paperwork, don't we? We've been a bit behind lately.'

Ianto smirked and let his body arch closer towards Jack, 'We've got quite a backlog to work through, Sir. I'm terribly sorry I've let it get...out of hand.'

'Well,' Jack leaned forward to whisper in Ianto's ear, 'It's not something that can't be remedied, Jones,' Ianto gasped as he felt Jack tug sharply on his belt buckle, 'In fact...I think I'm about to get a hand around the situation right now.'

The door behind them burst open and Ianto pushed Jack away sharply, clearing his throat he passed a furious looking Gwen, 'Don't worry, Sir. We'll- er, finish up that paperwork later.'

'Looking forward to it.'

Had he imagined it? Was that a look of...hurt on Jack's face? Ianto shook his head. No, he was only a casual thing. He knew that, he mustn't get his hopes up. He mustn't.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Araylia ran in Ianto in the archives, 'There you are! Look I-...why are you so flushed?'

'I'm not- what do you- I mean-'

'Okay, you can stutter about Jack later. That guy in the cells is chanting.'

Ianto cleared his throat, 'Chanting?'

'That's what I said. He's been doing it for ages, at first I thought his brain short circuited or something because he says it exactly the same way each time,' she ran her hand through her hair, 'But then I thought about it and he's chanting in the way someone would who was...I don't know- wishing? Does that make any sense?'

'None whatsoever.'

Araylia rolled her eyes, 'Fantastic, I'm going to go let Jack know,' she made her way back up to the main hub, coming up behind Jack she patted him on the shoulder, 'Jack-'

'Not now Raylie,' Jack was watching Tosh intently, 'Daddy's in the middle of something.'

'But Jack-'

'Not now Araylia!'

_Oh God, what am I doing?_

Araylia frowned as she looked around the hub, Gwen's thoughts had come from...above ground. She ran towards the lift, propelling herself towards it as she tried to drag it down out of its place. Gwen had taken Suzie out of the hub. She scrambled through the gap in the lift and forced herself to run towards Gwen's car, running was so much slower. She glanced around the plass, not many people were about so she lifted her feet off the ground and picked up the pace. She reached the car just in time to see Gwen pull away. Grabbing the back she clung to the boot as the car sped up, keeping herself in place she banged on the back window of the car, 'Hey, stop!'

Suzie rolled down her window, 'What the hell are you doing?'

'I have no idea what you're up too Woozy, but I won't let you get away with it!'

'I'm not doing anything! Gwen's being such a love and taking me to see my dying father. What's so wrong about that?'

'Everything about you in general is wrong!' Araylia had dragged herself across the roof of Gwen's car; afraid of flying in case of being seen she had no other alternative than to hold on.

'Oh for goodness sake!' Gwen called from inside the car, she pulled over and got out, 'I'm not going back to the hub, sweetheart, so either go back now or get in.'

Araylia reluctantly got in the back of Gwen's car, 'I could stop you both you know.'

Suzie laughed, 'You won't.'

'You wanna test me, Woozy? Is that such a good idea?'

'You won't. You're curious.'

Araylia pouted in the darkness, reaching out with her mind she spoke to Jack, _I'm with Gwen and Suzie, why haven't you caught up yet?_

_We're in lockdown, _came his short reply, _our guest was a verbal trigger. We can't get out. Find out where they're going. Don't do anything stupid._

_I can stop them though!_

_No. I can't afford losing you to UNIT. Stay safe. We'll get out, don't worry kiddo._

Araylia focused back on the car, Gwen and Suzie were chatting pleasantly enough. She quelled the urge to forcibly stop the car and tried to relax in the backseat.

Fidgeting uncomfortably until they reached a hospital, Araylia was glad to be doing something. She glanced around warily, still nervous about being outside and exposed. She followed Gwen and Suzie to the ICU, hovering behind Gwen as much as possible who looked unsteady on her feet. After Gwen had shut them in the room with Suzie's dad she collapsed against the wall.

'Gwen!' Araylia knelt next to the welsh woman, 'What is it, what's wrong?'

'My God this headache it's-!'

'I'm sorry, Gwen. You're getting shot in the head slowly,' she removed the head scarf covering the remnants of her suicide, 'and believe me it hurts.' Suzie leant over her Dad and began to talk to him, to wake him up.

Araylia crouched next to Gwen, cradled her head in her hands, 'Don't worry, Gwen. Don't worry, we'll stop her. I promise. I'll stop her,' she kissed Gwen's forehead, 'I've diverted some pain for you, love, I'm so sorry,' Araylia stood up to see Suzie pull the breathing apparatus out of her father's mouth, 'What are you doing?'

'That's worth coming back for.'

'You bitch!' Araylia tried to push Suzie backwards, only it wouldn't work, 'What's happening to me, why isn't it working? What have you done to me!'

'I've done nothing to you, Ray- Ray. I've just managed to get myself some protection from your specialities.'

Araylia shook her head, 'No. That's impossi-'

'I can assure you it's not,' she held a small blinking device up to Araylia, 'Tosh was working on this before I died. Neat, huh? I thought it'd come in handy so I took one.'

'No. Keep that thing away from me,' Araylia cowered away, panic threatening to overtake her, 'Don't come near me!'

Suzie laughed, 'You'll be a good girl and do exactly what I say then, Ray- Ray.'

Araylia nodded reverently, 'Yes, yes just please, keep that thing away from me.'

'Good. Get Gwen into the wheelchair and come with me.'

Araylia lifted Gwen up into the chair and started to push her in the direction Suzie went, tears falling from her face, 'I'm sorry Gwen, I- I can't-'

'Hurry up!' Suzie snapped, brandishing the device, 'We have to get out of here,' when they reached the car Suzie took the jump start cables from the boot of the car, 'Get her in the front then come here.'

Araylia placed Gwen gently in the front seat placing kisses on her tear stained face as she did her seatbelt up, 'Jack will find us, he will Gwen,' she turned to Suzie.

'Hands together,' Araylia brought her wrist together so Suzie could bind them up, 'Get in the back and let me do your feet,' after she'd bound Araylia in the back she put the device on her forehead causing Araylia to scream, 'Shh, it's for your own good, you might try something stupid and I cannot be having that, Ray- Ray.'

Blind panic gripped Araylia as she tried to twist her body away from the device, crying hysterically, promising Suzie anything she wanted just so she could have her barrier to fall back on. She felt the car moving as she continued to panic, her breath coming in short bursts making her dizzy and disoriented.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Did you like the poem, Jack?'

Araylia heard through the haze of her own panic, 'Jack!' she screeched from the back seat, tears clouding her vision once again, breathing becoming uncontrolled again.

'Shh, Ray-Ray. You must really quiet down, poor Gwen has a terrible headache.'

Araylia shut her mouth but couldn't stop the whimpering from escaping her lips. She tried to listen to Suzie talking to Jack but she couldn't concentrate through her own disorientation. Taking deep breaths she tried to wriggle her feet out of their bindings, Gwen needed her, she nearly gasped in relief as she felt the binding slip and she managed to loosen it enough to get her feet out of their prison. They pulled up at the docks and she saw Suzie get out and take Gwen with her. Trying to calm herself she opened the car door and began to run after them, her hands clasped to her chest to stop them getting in the way.

'I'm sorry! Have you gone? Gwen?' Suzie was bent over Gwen's body, 'Can you hear me? Gwen?' She smoothed Gwen's hair, 'Poor Gwen Cooper,' Suzie saw Araylia running up behind them, closely followed by Jack and Owen, 'Safe journey,' she kissed Gwen before trying to run.

Araylia dropped down to Gwen as Jack outstripped her and Owen snatched Gwen up to check her pulse, 'Is she...?' Araylia left the question hanging in the air, trembling from the effort of keeping her panic inside of her.

Owen looked up to Jack, 'I think we're too late!'

Araylia took Gwen's hand in her bound ones, tears from her face falling on her palm, 'Come on, Cooper. Come on,' she looked up sharply as she heard Jack fire at Suzie, 'You can do it Gwen,' Jack fired nearly a whole round into Suzie before he instructed Tosh to destroy the glove. Gwen gasped as her life surged back to her, 'It's okay! See Gwen,' Araylia had new tears in her eyes as she hugged her, 'I told you Jack would save us.'

TWTWTWTWTWTTWW

'Ah, you knew it all along didn't you?'

Araylia looked over at Ianto, 'Knew what?'

'Well, you said all along she was up to something.'

Araylia smiled weakly, 'Yeah, but I would have said that even if she wasn't,' she shrugged, 'I was just being paranoid.'

'Nothing wrong with a little paranoia once in a while,' Araylia nodded, 'Are you okay?'

'Never better now she's back where she belongs.'

Ianto raised his eyebrow, 'You know what I mean. I know what that technology does to your psyche.'

'Yeah, well,' Araylia looked up as Jack was approaching them, 'I'm sure I'll have the odd nightmare. But hey, looks like you'll be here tonight to come to my aid.'

Ianto frowned, 'What do you...' he trailed off as he saw Jack approaching.

'I'll leave you two to it,' Araylia smirked, leaning over to kiss Ianto on the cheek she whispered, 'After all you've still got that stopwatch don't you?'


	13. Captain James Harper

**Re Written Version **

'Were you always this clingy?' Jack sighed at Araylia as she jumped on his back for the umpteenth time that morning, 'Cause I always thought you were a bit more...oh, I dunno. Independent.'

Araylia buried her face into Jack's shoulder, 'I was. But you know things change.'

'Nothing changes this drastically.'

Araylia snorted, 'I wasn't exactly that independent, I think I've regressed,' she lifted herself off of Jack's back and hovered in front of him, the back of her left hand dramatically pressed to her forehead, 'Oh Daddy! I think I'm going to need your full and undivided attention forever!'

'Don't joke! That's enough to scare anyone away.'

Araylia scowled and slapped Jack playfully, 'That's it. I'm sticking to you like glue all day!'

'What about Ianto? You usually stick to him all day, won't Mummy miss you?'

Ianto appeared from nowhere startling them both, 'You'd better not be referring to me.'

Jack grinned cheekily, 'What! I think it's cute,' his grin turning into something more suggestive.

Ianto looked at Jack blankly, 'Hmm. Annoy the one in control of the caffeine. That sounds smart, sir,' he raised his eyebrows in a disparaging way before striding off towards the kitchen.

'Yowch! What's got him this touchy already?'

Araylia chuckled, 'I might've moved one of his files...well. It was more of a filing cabinet.'

'Yeah, that would do it.'

'You're not even going to ask why?'

Jack shrugged, 'It's the same reason I move things about on his desk,' he grinned, 'It's fun to see his feathers ruffled once in a while.'

Araylia laughed, 'Poor Ianto, what has he done to deserve us?'

'Hey! I take offence to that!' Jack sighed, 'You'd better stay out of his way. I suppose you could come with me and Toshiko to that old dance hall.'

Araylia looked at Jack incredulously, 'Me. Outside.'

'What! I think you did pretty well last time...ya know the whole...Suzie fiasco...and I'd be with you this time as opposed to...not.'

'I dunno. What if-'

'Nothing is going to happen,' Jack took her by the shoulders, 'I promise. And besides, you're not going to be living in the hub forever. You have to go out one day so might as well be today.'

Araylia looked at him sombrely and bit her lower lip, 'I know, but- I just...Okay,' she nodded to herself, 'No people?'

'No people.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Ianto finished talking to Gwen when his comm. crackled to life in his ear, 'Jack?'

'_It's me.'_

'Araylia, what happened? Where are you?'

'_I'm in the dance hall, oh Ianto he said he wouldn't leave me alone! He said, he promised me.'_

'It's okay Araylia, Gwen's on her way there; okay, now you have to tell me what happened.'

Araylia took a deep breath, _'we were- were looking around. Jack said people kept hearing music from here or something. Anyway. We were looking around and Jack hears this music and so does Tosh and- and I couldn't so I didn't notice them going upstairs until Jack's coat had slipped out of my sight,' _she sniffed, _'And when I went to run up after them they'd- they'd-'_

'They'd what, Rayla?'

'_Gone. I- I think the rift took them.' _

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Gwen pulled up outside the dance hall and rushed inside, 'Sweetheart? Araylia, where are you darlin'?'

Araylia peered out from under a table and ran into the Welshwoman's arms, 'Thank God you're here.'

'Where were they? When they were...taken.'

Araylia nodded towards a staircase down the hall from them, 'They went up there.'

Gwen grabbed Araylia's hand and pulled her up, tucking the girl firmly under her arm, 'Okay Sweetheart, we're just gonna go have a look around, okay?' Araylia nodded, 'Perfect,' Gwen beamed at her, the gap in her teeth oddly endearing enough to make Araylia feel at least a little safer. That and she knew Gwen had a gun.

After poking about the hall the pair realised that most of the rooms were locked and although they had the means to unlock them, Gwen tried to ignore that the girl had that kind of special ability. Seeing her fly around the hub was one thing, there was a pterodactyl there for crying out loud, but in the real world Gwen felt oddly uncomfortable seeing the girl defy the laws of physics. Not that Araylia would, Gwen knew that Jack would blow a fuse if she did anything...extra in public. If they could get Jack back that was.

They stumbled out of the building, unsure what to do next when a voice from behind startled them, 'Can I help you? I'm the caretaker, Bilis Manger.'

Gwen immediately stepped forward, a look of relief on her face at having found a potential way to get them access to the entire dance hall. Araylia frowned at the man and hung behind Gwen, radiating waves of contempt to which Bilis raised his eyebrows.

After letting them have a look around and offering to make tea for them both Araylia turned to Gwen, 'I don't like this Gwen, can we please get out of here. I don't know what it is but I do not like that man,' she shot a disapproving look at the door.

Gwen nodded and contacted the hub, after coming to the conclusion that Bilis was definitely not good news Ianto and Owen had a brief power argument over the comm. link and the pair of girls backed out of the room and through the hall till they reached the outside.

'If Jack and Tosh were stuck in the past,' Gwen looked back at the hall, 'How would they try and help us.'

Araylia shrugged and looked vaguely at the building, 'I suppose Tosh would know we'd need the other half of the equation.'

Something caught Gwen's eye and she started walking down the side of the building Araylia in tow. Coming to an electrical box she found it had already been unlocked; she frowned at the padlock and opened the doors. Finding a photograph of equations she read them out to Ianto, shrugging when she learned there weren't enough, Gwen walked back towards the building.

'Maybe we'll find some more equations inside.'

The pair ran into Owen on the way inside and after a brief exchange Owen went to leave.

'Can you take me with you?' Araylia grabbed him by the arm, 'No offence Gwen but I'm starting to get a stress headache from being out here for so long.'

Gwen nodded, 'Of course, Sweetheart, go back to the hub. Maybe you can keep Owen and Ianto from biting each other's heads off!' she bounced away down the hall.

'C'mon, Princess, hurry up I haven't got all day,' Owen grabbed Araylia's arm and hauled her across the room, 'nothing but trouble you are.'

'Because you're the epitome of good behaviour.'

'Don't think I won't leave you here, cause I will.'

'Oh I have no doubt of that, Owen,' she shook her head as she buckled into Owens car, 'No doubt at all.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

The two men shouting at each other was becoming more than she could bear. Ianto desperately trying to be the voice of reason and logic opposed to Owen's frantic and desperate one. Araylia followed them to Jack's office, nervously shadowing the men as Owen opened Jack's safe.

'You're not allowed to be in there Owen.'

'Shut up, Araylia, you're lucky your not locked away with the rest of Jack's toys.'

Araylia flinched, 'I'm not a toy. Jack wouldn't treat a living thing like that.'

'Yeah, tell that to the weevils.'

After finding what he was looking for the pair of men continued shouting at each other before a physical struggle occurred.

'Stop it!' Araylia jumped to Ianto's aid reaching them as Owen kicked Ianto viciously in the ribs. Araylia dragged Owen away from the Welshman and crouched down next to him pulling him up and cradling his shuddering frame, 'Ia- Ianto look at me. C'mon please look at me you have to get up.'

Ianto coughed a few times and struggled to sit up, eyes trained on Owen he whispered, 'I need a gun. You can get me one from the safe can't you?'

Araylia studied Ianto's face, seeing nothing but unbridled determination there, she nodded her head slowly; 'Don't you have the code?'

Ianto shook his head, 'Owen must've changed it before he went to the dance hall, I tried then but it wouldn't grant me access.'

Araylia nodded again and moved swiftly towards the safe, Owen sufficiently distracted by the rift instructions, she pressed her hand against the panel and a green light flashed causing the door to spring open. She grabbed a gun and threw it across the hub to Ianto who ran to confront Owen.

Araylia sunk to the floor listening to Ianto's last desperate attempt to stop Owen from opening the rift; the gunshot startled her to her feet. She ran towards the sound to see Owen slipping the final component into the machine before promptly sliding to the ground.

'You don't know what you've done!'

Araylia stared at the two men before hesitantly walking over to Owen, wary of the noise the machine was making, her head filled with the voices from within the rift. She gulped and bent down to pick Owen up, 'Come on, you need to patch that up,' she grimaced at the blood starting to soak his shirt.

Turning back to look at the machine she saw Ianto touching various wires, trying to figure out which one to pull. A look of confliction passed over his face, _Should I give them more time to get through?_

Araylia smiled at him and helped the medic towards the autopsy bay. They got as far as his desk before Owen snapped, 'I'll do it here, just get me my kit.'

Araylia rolled her eyes, jumping as Ianto pulled a black pipe out of the machine and it abruptly ground to a halt. An eerie silence fell on the hub as she grabbed Owen's kit, she felt out with her mind smiling when she brushed against Jack's mind and he brushed back. She smiled as she handed Owen his kit.

'What you so happy about, Princess?'

'They're back.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWT

Araylia leapt into Jack's arms the minute the cog door rolled back, 'Oh Daddy-o, I'm never ever letting you go now.'

Jack smiled at her but it didn't reach his eyes, 'Looking forward to that.'

Araylia hugged him tighter and kissed him on the cheek before leaping off and into Tosh's arms and spinning her round, 'Toshiko Sato! You should know better than running off with the boss. Although that would make a great trashy novel.'

Tosh laughed, 'Sounds to me like you've been spending too much time with the boss yourself!'

'I'm so happy to have you both back, you were fantastic,' Araylia cradled Tosh's injured hand, 'That must've hurt.'

Tosh shrugged, 'It was necessary,' her eyes cut away from Araylia to focus on Owen, 'Owen! What happened to your shoulder?' she rushed over to the medic struggling to patch himself up.

'I knew I did the right thing. Opening the rift.'

Ianto's face remained impassive, 'Still no sign of Bilis,' he turned to smile shallowly at Araylia as she came up behind him.

'World didn't end after all did it?' Owen winced as he injected himself with a localised anaesthetic to ease the pain in his shoulder, 'Good job you're a crap shot.'

Ianto tensed, 'I was aiming for your shoulder,' Araylia put her hands on his shoulders in an attempt to calm the Welshman down. He had been more wound up than she had ever seen him and she was worried what he might do if Owen pushed him.

As if sensing the tension in the room Tosh spoke up, 'It was war time, I know. But it was beautiful.'

Jack strolled behind them, 'There were angels dancing at the Ritz.'

Owen sighed, 'Jack-'

'Let me,' Tosh hurried in behind Jack and closed the door to his office.

A deafening silence descended on the three, tension filling the space.

'How did you get that gun, Ianto?'

Ianto looked up at the medic, 'I'm allowed access to the weapons store.'

Owen narrowed his eyes, 'You know what I'm talking about. I changed the code so how. Did. You. Do it?'

Araylia bit her lip before screwing up her courage, 'I got it for him.'

Owen's gaze shifted to her, 'You're definitely not allowed to even touch the store.'

'And you're not allowed to open the rift,' Araylia willed herself to keep looking the medic in the eyes, 'seems like we both stepped beyond our boundaries,' Araylia cocked her eyebrow at Owen before turning back towards Ianto, 'I'm going to the archives. I want to get as far away from the surface as I can.'


	14. Betrayal is Betrayal

**Re Written Version**

Araylia flopped down on Jack's bed below his office, 'Did ya love him?'

Jack frowned into the mirror casually examining himself head to toe, 'Me? In love?' he snorted, 'Don't make me laugh.'

'Don't play coy with me, Harkness, we both know you're not as notorious as you make yourself out to be,' she jumped up and tucked in the back of his shirt, 'Maybe that was the wrong question. I mean, how could you love him when you're so clearly falling for someone else,' she lifted herself up so she was hovering next to Jack, brushing his shirt down as she handed him his braces over his shoulders, 'I just don't know what other question to ask you.'

Jack clipped his braces in place and turned to look the girl in the face, 'What do you mean falling for someone else?'

Araylia snorted and rolled her eyes, 'Oh pur-lease. I know you're waiting for the Doctor to come back but I know for a fact you're having a major issue dealing with your feelings for one Ianto Jones.'

Jack shook his head, 'Wait, how do you know about the Doctor? And I am _not_ falling in love with Ianto!'

'Sure, keep denying it, Jack, very healthy,' she sighed, 'and I'm sorry about knowing things I shouldn't...but sometimes it's difficult for me to keep out of here,' she kissed Jack's forehead gently, 'especially when you sleep. It's almost as if your mind wants me to see what's going on.'

Jack stared after Araylia, unsure of how he felt about that. His mind was usually an impenetrable fortress but somehow Araylia had always been able to slip in undetected. He was a little unnerved by that fact and he wondered how a being like Araylia had come into existence this early in time. He couldn't remember anywhere he'd encountered another human with abilities such as hers, even in the distant future humans with high psychic abilities could move objects and read minds only with a great effort whereas Araylia seemed to be able to do all these things with ease...and Jack suspected she could do far more than that.

'Alright! Enough talk. Time to get back into the fray...' Jack ushered her towards the ladder, watching her carefully as she glided up to the hatch and made it fling back with a minimal strain, 'I'll need to talk to you at some point soon about...you.'

'That was very articulate, dear. Any adjectives you would like to use to expand on your already in-depth explanation?'

Jack swatted at her, 'You really need to stop hanging around with Ianto so much. His sarcasm is rubbing off on you.'

Araylia chuckled as she floated out of Jack's reach, 'What can I say? He's converted me to the light.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Owen walked into Araylia's arms as he walked out of the board room, 'What the-?'

'It's okay, Owen, he's just wound up cause he's scared.'

'What the hell are you talking about, Princess?' he tried to move out of her grip as he felt Tosh walk into his back, 'I gotta go clear up after my mess.'

Araylia kissed him on the cheek, 'What's done is done, Owen. Don't let Jack beat you up over it.'

Owen grunted and pushed passed the girl, 'Thanks.'

Tosh smiled at Araylia gratefully before hurrying after Owen. Araylia sighed and began her assent to Myfanwy's ledge faltering when Jack and Gwen hurried out of the conference room bickering loudly about Owen.

'Don't get distracted. Don't want you falling out of the air and killing yourself,' Ianto had his eyebrows raised at her, 'You know you have difficulties concentrating on two things at once.'

'Where are they rushing off too?'

Ianto sat down at his station and began tapping at the keyboard, 'Something about a Roman in the police station.'

'Just another day in Torchwood?'

Ianto grimaced, 'I hope these occurrences aren't permanent. I don't know how we're going to deal and cope with all of this.'

Araylia drifted down next to him and studied the monitor on his desk, 'Mm. It's bound to get worse before it gets better.'

The weevil alert sounded, Ianto smirked, 'Speak of the devil...Araylia, I need you to get me the exact location of the weevil while I get the kit together,' he dashed off into the back of the hub while Araylia looked blankly at the screen.

For everything she was she had no idea how to use the hubs software, _give me windows vista any day..._she grabbed the mouse, eyes flicking slowly over the screen. 'I don't have time to figure this stupid software out, Ianto!' she called out. She waited for a reply and upon receiving none she clicked randomly on the symbols she thought would get her the coordinates to the weevil. A loud clang came from the software, 'No, no, no don't do this to me! Shit.'

'Have you got those coordinates?' Ianto appeared with a bag slung over his shoulder.

'Well. Here's the funny thing...' she smiled up at Ianto, 'I kinda...lost...the data.'

'What?' Ianto shoved her out of the way tapping furiously over the keyboard, 'It's gone. You wiped the whole database; if Tosh were here she could...I don't know how to get it back!' Ianto paced up and down trying to keep his frustration under wraps.

Araylia bit her lip and her eyes flicked around nervously, 'I can find it,' she swallowed audibly; 'I know what they...feel like. I can locate it.'

Ianto turned on her, 'What are you talking about?'

'Just trust me! I'll be able to find it...you're gonna have to take me with you,' she started to tremble, 'I'm sorry. I don't know how to use the system.'

Ianto pulled her into a rough hug, 'Come on, Rayla. I'll protect you.'

Araylia nodded and put her hand in Ianto's, 'We'll take the short cut to the plass,' she grinned sheepishly before hurtling them both towards the lift, wrenching the mechanism out of place as they came near. She slipped them through the gap and they hit the ground running.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Good luck with the end of the world. I would say thanks for the memories.'

The team stood in shock as they watch Owen walk through the cog door Araylia briefly trying to stop him as he went, Gwen crying out in protest trying to get Jack to submit. Araylia clung to the door as she felt Owen crumble on the other side of it, tears pouring down her face she flew over to Jack slamming him against the wall, an invisible force trapping him there as she slapped him full in the face. Jack belatedly realised that her eyes were glowing slightly as she laid into him with an emotional tirade.

'What the fuck is the matter with you? How dare you do that to him!' she felt Gwen, Ianto and Tosh come up behind her, 'Why should he trust you when you haven't given him, given any of them any reason too?' she felt a hand come down on her shoulder.

'Stop it, Araylia.'

She whirled around and pinned Ianto to the floor, the same crushing barrier keeping him in place as she turned back to Jack, 'You call yourself the leader of Torchwood, I've been here for nearly a year now and I've yet to see any real leading. You fall back on procedure when it's convenient to you, you never give anybody a straight answer and you don't trust your employees enough to even give them the decency to give them something, _anything,_ which would give them a reason to trust your judgement other than this stupid hero act you put on,' she leant forward, her hand warning Gwen not to come any closer to her, 'Well let me tell you, Jack Harkness. You can't hide from me.'

Jack felt a flicker of fear flare up, he'd never seen Araylia act like this before and the thought that she could tear his mind apart terrified him. He knew that firing Owen was extreme but he didn't take well to confrontation so the best way he could deal with it was to remove the source of it. He fully intended to get Owen back as soon as this whole mess had been sorted out...whenever that would be.

Jack swallowed, 'I know,' he felt the pressure holding him against the wall lessen slightly, 'I'm trying to keep it all together right now and,' he lowered his voice, 'I'm fucking scared shitless.'

The glowing in her eyes dulled as she released Jack from the wall, she blinked rapidly as if coming out of a trance, fresh tears springing to her eyes as she brought her arms up to cup his face in her hands, 'I'm sorry I did that. I didn't mean what I said I was just so-'

'Don't apologise.'

Ianto coughed loudly from the floor, 'If you wouldn't mind...'

Araylia gasped and spun round as Ianto suddenly was rocketed to his feet, 'Oh my God. Ianto, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt-'

Ianto grabbed her roughly, 'you didn't hurt me, you idiot.'

'Jack,' Gwen came up behind the three, keeping a nervous eye on Araylia, 'We should go find Bilis.'

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Ianto directed Jack and Gwen to Bilis' clock shop. He snorted at the irony before lapsing back into thought about what he'd seen in the cells after locking the weevil away. Had that really been Lisa? His Lisa. Telling him to open the rift...his logical mind screamed at him that Lisa was dead, she'd been converted and then shot- she barely looked human the last time he'd seen her. It couldn't be her and yet his emotional mind begged him to believe what he had saw, that all he had to do was to open the rift and she would be his again. The guilt of her death still hung heavily over Ianto and, though he'd hidden his feelings perfectly around the hub, the ache of her absence had never really left him. He'd never gained the closure he needed to move on.

Ianto glanced up and noticed Tosh watching him, 'Something I can help you with, Tosh?'

'No- I just- I saw...never mind.'

Ianto stood up and pulled Tosh back towards him, 'What's wrong?'

Tosh looked up at Ianto, 'I noticed you looking a little...lost in thought and it reminded me of how I'm feeling and well...no it's nothing. Don't worry about it, I'm just being...delusional.'

Ianto's grip tightened on Tosh's shoulders slightly, 'Delusional? Did you see something...impossible, Tosh?'

Tosh nodded slowly, 'You did as well?'

'What did you see-'

'She saw something from her past. Someone from her past,' Araylia sauntered in looking white as a sheet.

Tosh looked at her, 'How did you know?'

Araylia looked at the pair gravely, 'Because I know you both did...we all did,' tears fell down her cheeks, 'I saw...the man I killed.'

The three looked at each other in turn, all reliving the moment of impossibility, all wondering what to do about it and what it possibly could mean. They all looked up as Jack and Gwen came back into the hub dragging an unconscious Rhys.

'What the...?'

Jack glanced up, 'Ah, Araylia, just the girl I need...little help?'

Araylia brushed the tears from her cheeks and put on a huge smile, Ianto would have been proud if he hadn't been so disheartened by the efficiency that Araylia hid her emotions.

Araylia lifted Rhys from their arms and brought him slightly closer to herself so she could get a better gauge of how to manoeuvre him, 'So this is Rhys, huh?' she looked over to Gwen, 'Sorry, I've had a peep at your head and I saw what he looked like,' she grinned shyly, 'where am I putting him?'

Gwen took Rhys' hand, 'Ah, can you take him down to the vault for me? I want to put him in a cell.'

Araylia nearly dropped the man hovering in the air, using her hands to focus her mind back on him she turned to Gwen, 'Excuse me?'

'I know it sounds insane, but Bilis showed me what's going to happen to him and he'll die if I don't protect him.'

Araylia glanced at Jack dubiously who just shrugged, 'Okay, Gwen. Pick out a nice one for him,' she grinned at Gwen who returned it with a small smile.

'Thank you, sweetheart.'

Jack watched the two women make their way down to the cells, before rounding on Tosh and Ianto, 'So, what's been happening here while we've been gone?'

Ianto and Tosh looked at each other, 'Nothing,' they both muttered before moving off to their work stations.

'Woah, what did I say to get that kind of reaction?' Jack saw Araylia return, hovering uncertainly, 'Raylie, what's up with Ianto and Tosh?'

'Nothing,' Araylia shrugged before moving off completely to be with Ianto who had moved clear across the other side of the hub.

Gwen reappeared and asked Tosh to put Rhys up on the CCTV so she could look at him before the hub went into chaos again. Gwen's shriek as she hurtled off towards the cells echoed off the walls closely followed by Jack.

Ianto and Tosh sprang into action trying to find out the source of the breach and how someone had got in.

Araylia laid a hand on Ianto's shoulder, her vision was blurring and her senses became muddled as she tried to get away from the intruders mind, 'I can't...' she dropped to the floor, paralysed from the contact of the mind below.

'Araylia!'

She felt Ianto pick her up and cradle her in his arms, her head lolled backwards and her eyes rolled in her sockets as she fought against the mind crowding her own, she let out a blood curdling wail as she struggled to break free. Arching up in Ianto's grip she clung to his jacket as she grounded herself, eyes emitting a fierce glow she managed to break free of the intruders grip. Hearing and feeling the shock and distress from Gwen she grasped to her consciousness, 'He did it.'

Ianto frowned as the girl dropped back into his arms lifeless; he pressed his fingers to her throat checking for a pulse, fear bubbling up inside of him. Locating an erratic one he let out the breath he was holding, picking up the girl and putting her on the sofa as the lights in the hub came up again.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Araylia woke up to the sound of shouting; she shook her head and focused on the scene in front of her. Jack was on the floor being held at gunpoint by Owen, threatening him to stay down. She leapt to her feet and went to stand close-by, watching the scene play out as Owen shot Jack and Ianto knelt down my his side instantly.

Araylia stood in front of Owen, his hand still shaking around Jack's Webley as Gwen tried to prise it away from him, 'Well, that's stopped him hasn't it?' Araylia looked between the team as Ianto stood up next to the others, 'What are you waiting for?,' she turned round and knelt down beside Jack, bringing his head onto her lap she stroked his hair gently, 'Get on with it!'

Gwen faltered, 'You're not going to stop us?'

'I want him back,' Araylia looked down at Jack, ashamed of saying it, 'I want him back just as much as you all want what you've lost.'

After a brief hesitation Gwen confirmed Protocol One and the hub sounded every alarm it could in protest. Jack gasped to life in Araylia's arm and Gwen shrieked as Jack's flailing arms grasped her leg, the rest of the team looking at him in their own respective shock at his inability to die.

Araylia jumped up and helped Jack to his feet, 'We have to get out of here!' she yelled over the racket from the hub.

The team battled to get themselves out of the hub, Ianto grabbing Jack's coat as they went, Jack screamed at them to keep moving pushing them to keep in front of him as he was supported by Gwen. Araylia ran back to him and pulled him out of Gwen's grip she pushed the Welshwoman forward as she took the brunt of Jack's weight on herself, her concentration faltering and the intrusion to her mind earlier making her unable to pick him up with her mind completely but making her more efficient than Gwen who had been struggling with him. They ran down a side road from the plass, Ianto now helping Araylia with Jack as it was evident she was struggling with him. They both clung to Jack as they listened to the exchange between Bilis and Gwen, cowering when they saw the terrible vastness of the creature Abbadon.

'How do we stop it?' Gwen demanded.

Jack looked around them all briefly before deciding what needed to be done. Araylia smacked him upside the head, 'No you can't. Don't be ridiculous!'

Jack kissed her on the cheek, 'It's the only way.'

'But you're too weak, what if-'

Jack chuckled, 'Ah kiddo, you can't let a little "what if" stand in your way,' he turned to Gwen, 'Just you. Get me to an open space,' he turned to them all as he and Gwen started off, 'Raylie! Make sure you keep them safe.'

'Oh yeah, tell the agoraphobic one to keep us safe,' Owen snorted.

'Shut up, Owen,' Araylia snarled, 'I almost regret sticking up for you.'

'Where's Jack going? What's he doing?' Tosh asked wild eyed.

'Why can't he die?' Owen asked simultaneously.

Araylia looked at Ianto, using the Welshman's presence to calm herself down to get a grip on her emotions, 'He's gone to stop Abbadon. What else?' she started back towards the hub, 'Coming?'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

They all stood around Jack on the gurney, waiting to be pushed into the vault, not knowing what to do or what to say to each other. They all felt as guilty as each other. They had caused this, they had caused so many more people to die, and they had been tricked by Bilis again.

Araylia was casually sat on the gurney, something Owen had objected to earlier but one look from the girl had told him better than to argue with her at this moment, playing idly with Jack's hair and being careful not to look any of them in the face.

Gwen came in a moment later and they all discussed whether Jack was really dead or not, while Gwen had longer to digest Jack's secret than the others who had only just learnt it and were less willing to believe that Jack would come back to life after so long being dead.

'He'll come back,' everyone looked over at Araylia, who was adjusting her seating position, 'He's not dead, he's still...there. Under the surface.'

The whole time the exchange had been going on Araylia had been feeding Jack's mind, stuffing it full of all the memories she could. Memories of her arrival, of him and Gwen, him and Tosh, him and Owen, just him on his own when she had been there and he hadn't realised and, finally, as much of Jack and Ianto as she could. Willing Jack to find them back out here rather than be trapped in him own mind for eternity, she was helping him back to the surface of his own consciousness.

'I want to sit with him,' Gwen announced.

Araylia levelled a gaze at Gwen, 'I'm not leaving him,' she looked at the rest of them, 'and no way are you lot giving up on him. Not this time.'

Days passed and the two women stayed beside him until Toshiko finally took it upon herself to talk some sense into them.

Araylia looked up at her as she entered the vaults, 'Don't you dare, Toshiko Sato, don't you tell us he's isn't coming back.'

Gwen looked up, 'I believe in him.'

Tosh sighed, 'Let him go, Gwen,' she backed out of the room.

'Maybe she's right...'

Araylia shook her head, 'Oh no, Gwen Cooper. Don't you give up on him too.'

'We have to let him go, Araylia.'

Araylia planted herself firmly by Jack's side, 'I refuse.'

Gwen put her arm around Araylia and guided her off the table, 'He would've come back by now.'

Araylia shook her head again as she felt the back of her eyes prickle with tears. She turned away as Gwen leant down and kissed Jack her farewell and moved away from his side. Turning back to him Araylia leant down and whispered in his ear, 'You always did look good in that coat, you know,' she turned away and slipped her hand into Gwen's. Before they made it out they heard him speak.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'The right kind of Doctor.'

Araylia bit her lip, she wasn't eavesdropping exactly but she didn't have the right to be listening either, as if sensing this Jack came out of him office and gave her a stern look as she passed him and went to talk to Gwen.

'Sorry, I shouldn't have listened, but I feel nervous not being near him now. Stupid really.'

Gwen rewarded Araylia with a gap toothed grin, 'No, sweetheart it's not stupid...where are you going?'

Araylia sprinted out the room and headed upwards towards the plass, 'Hell, no! Jack Harkness you cannot leave us now!' she screamed as she wrenched the lifts door out of place causing it to fall into the hub. Darting out of the gap she saw Jack running towards the blue box that was beginning to fade. She hurtled towards him urging her mind to carry her faster, reaching her hand out to grab the box before it disappeared with Jack. He reached out and grabbed the TARDIS a second before Araylia and disappeared. Araylia collided with the floor and she'd flung herself at the box before it had disappeared, she felt her cheek rip against the cement under it and screamed in pain and frustration.

Moments later saw the team running out towards her on the plass, Ianto in the lead.

'What is it, what happened?'

Araylia wailed as she felt Ianto lift her up and Owen examine her face which was dripping with blood, 'He- he's gone.'

Tosh was busily tapping away on her PDA trying to get a lock on Jack's comm. link, 'Do you know where? Maybe I can track him down.'

Araylia shook her head and struggled against the doctor and the Welshman, 'You won't find him. It's impossible,' she took a deep breath and looked at Gwen, 'He found the right kind of Doctor.'


	15. Feels like I'm Going Insane

**Jack's Year That Never Was.**

Jack's head lolled forward as he was chained back up. The plan had failed, again. He always managed to get to the flight deck before Saxon's men found and shot him like a dog.

He could have escaped, numerous times, but he refused to leave the Doctor here in this awful place. He'd tried so hard and failed so many times. A solitary tear made a track down the muck coating his face, cleaning a pathway down his face.

'Oh, freak,' Saxon's distorted voice came from the door, 'How many times do we have to do this before you get the message through that _fat _head of yours? You. Will. Never. Ever. Escape.'

Jack didn't flinch as the door squealed as it was opened. He knew what was coming now, Saxon always made sure to ingrain the failure into his head with some new and twisted torture.

'Now, now, now. What shall I do to punish you today? You've been a very naughty freak, very naughty indeed!' Saxon twirled him laser screwdriver in his hand, 'Let's see if you can dance.'

Pointing the screwdriver down, he aimed for Jack's feet, laughing when Jack screamed from the damage the screwdriver was causing, forcing him to hold himself up entirely by his shackled arms. His back screamed in protest as he slumped heavily forward, unable to support himself on his ruined feet. The holes the screwdriver had made in his boots leaked blood, dripping to the depths below him. Breathing heavily, Jack winced as he tried to relieve the pressure on his back by propping himself up on his ankles, the awkward position of his feet causing more blood to well up and leak out from his boots.

Saxon laughed maliciously, scowling when an announcement was made over the communication system.

'My Lord and Master, Sir. We need you immediately on the flight deck; the Doctor appears to be attempting to talk to your wife.'

'My God! Will that man never stop? Always trying to..._talk_ to people. Well not Lucy, no way will he get my Lucy on his side,' Saxon turned to look at Jack, 'I can only assume he's pulling this little stunt for your benefit. Too bad I'm going to kill you anyway,' Saxon pulled a switch blade from his pocket, 'but first, I think I have time for a little sketching,' Saxon grinned, insanity radiating from his face, as he pulled up Jack's tee-shirt exposing his torso, 'Now, what so we think? Should I carve "I'm Sorry" into your flesh?' Saxon pushed the point of the blade into Jack's skin causing blood to well up under the pressure, 'No, I think "Freak" will cover it...don't you?' Jack yelled out as Saxon dragged the blade over his chest, '"F"..."R"..."E"..."A"..."K"...oh, I'm just so talented, maybe I should take up painting,' Saxon looked over at a nearby guard, 'What do you think? More abstract than contemporary,' He laughed as he plunged the blade into Jack's gut, twisting the handle viciously causing the skin to rip and the damage to his internal organs increase.

Jack screamed as the pain radiated over his torso and stomach, fighting against the shackles as he tried to reach down to his gut to try and hold himself together.

'You know what...I think I won't finish the job today. No, you can bleed out...nice and sloooww,' Saxon drew the word out emphasise the impact, before turning on his heel and walking out, laughter bouncing off the walls as he got further away.

Jack shuddered with the effort not to scream out more than he could manage. He ground his teeth together harshly, trying to concentrate on something other than the feel of his life blood soaking his clothes as it poured out of him.

A small whimper escaped his lips, causing the guard nearby to move closer, 'Please,' Jack gasped, 'for the love of God, Kill me.'

The guard looked down at Jack, grasping his weapon unsure; gut clenched in protest at what the master had done to him. He looked up nervously, if he got caught putting the man out of his misery he risked being killed himself...only unlike Jack he wouldn't come back. Biting his lip, he returned his gaze to Jack and gasped. The look upon the Captains face chilled him to the bone, he knew he was supposed to be obeying the Lord and Master but he'd always been a compassionate man and in that moment he didn't care whether he lived or died, if he could help Jack's suffering just for a minute he could at least say that he'd done that one thing. He could maintain just a shred of humanity for his doomed soul.

Shaking the guard raised his gun at Jack's head, 'I'm sorry.'

Jack closed his eyes, 'Thank you.'

The last thing Jack heard before plunging into his death headfirst was a small sob that escaped the man as he pulled the trigger.

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Jack awoke to the sounds of shouting echoing off the walls. He moved his head upwards, wincing as the muscles stretched out, he'd been out for a long time, and tried to locate the source of the shouting.

'Code Red, we have an intruder on the Valiant, repeat, Code Red, we have an intruder on the Valiant.'

Guards rushed passed him, their shouts and footsteps bouncing off the walls. Jack shook his head as he tried to remove the fuzziness that the remnant clutches of death still had on him, he blinked as he watched Saxon coming towards him. Jack felt a twist of dread in his gut as he watched the man coming closer to him.

'Well freak, it looks like you had a few surprises up your sleeve still.'

'What are you talking about?'

Saxon glared at him, 'Shut up! You know exactly what I mean! Where were you hiding her?'

Jack blinked at Saxon, 'Hiding who?'

'You try my patience. Torchwood only has five registered members including you; Gwen Cooper, Owen Harper, Toshiko Sato and Ianto Jones.'

Jack flinched involuntarily at the sound of his team's names.

'And I know for damn sure that the Toclafane killed them in the first wave.'

Jack felt a prickle in the back of his eyes...that confirmed it then. The last shred of hope he had died with that sentence. His team were dead. Brilliant Gwen, beautiful Toshiko, fantastic Owen and Ianto.

His Ianto was gone.

'So who the fuck is sabotaging my ship?'

Jack blinked slowly, 'I don't know.'

'Well she's got your brand all over her, what did you do? Genetically enhance her? Alter her DNA? What did you do?'

'I didn't do anything,' Jack hissed, 'This has nothing to do with me.'

No sooner had the words fell from his mouth there was an almighty explosion from in front of them, the shrapnel coating them both in dust. A figure appeared from the chaos, a slight glow emanating from around it, moving slowly towards them both. As the dust settled the figure came into focus and Jack's heart leapt with something akin to joy. Araylia stood in front of them, covered in blood and oil wearing an expression of utter contempt and fury and she ploughed through the iron gateway into Jack's pen.

'Give him back.'

Saxon faltered as she ripped the laser screwdriver away from him, 'Excuse me?'

Araylia fixed Saxon with a gaze that should have had stopped both of his hearts, 'Give. Him. Back.'

Araylia's snarl echoed around the room as she made a motion with her hand, the shackles holding Jack tore away from the walls, clattering to the floor as they slipped off his wrists.

Jack felt himself being pulled towards the girl by an unknown force, a grin cracking his face as the girl pinned the Master to the wall.

'Oh Raylie, you are such a good child.'

Araylia fixed her gaze on Jack and tears fell down her face, 'He killed them, all of them. I couldn't let him have you too,' she reached out to pull him into an embrace when suddenly she convulsed and let out a deafening scream. She scrambled behind her to try and remove the device a soldier had attached to her back. Her screaming intensified as the Master was freed and the wailing the ship had been making stopped.

'What did you do to her?' Jack pinned the soldier up against the wall, 'what have you done?'

Saxon laughed behind him, 'I'll give you that, freak. Your little technician was a genius.'

Jack frowned, why was he talking about Toshiko, and what did this have to do with her?

'I can't believe she actually filed a report about the technology she was developing...of course it never included the existence of that...thing,' he gestured to Araylia writhing on the floor, 'But, WOW! I mean WOW.'

Jack knelt down to the girl who was shuddering and moaning on the floor, 'Araylia...'

Saxon wrenched Jack away from the girl and kicked him in the face, laughing as he did so, 'Handy piece of tech, that. I thought it'd be a good idea to salvage it from you hub...although of course I modified it slightly.'

'What did you do, you monster?' Jack snarled, eyes flickering momentarily to the guard who had recovered and had a gun trained on his head.

'What was it called again...it didn't have a great name. I think it was recorded as "the inhibitor"...yes I think that sounds right,' Saxon nudged the girl on the floor with his foot, turning her over, 'Oh yes, very handy. I just added an extra feature...a series of electrical pulses to keep the wearer incapacitated.'

'Turn it off!' Araylia screamed from the floor.

'Shh, little girl,' Saxon knelt on the floor, grabbing a fistful of the girls hair he dragged her to her feet, 'How DARE you try and sabotage my beautiful ship! You'll suffer for that girl; I'll make you pay for touching my Valiant.'

Araylia spat in his face, 'Go to hell.'

Dropping her harshly on the floor Saxon motioned for one of the guards to pick her up, 'Disgusting, filthy human,' he motioned for a guard to grab Jack, 'Chain them up, both of them. Facing each other and don't take the inhibitor off her...I'll be back to deal with them later.'

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Jack watched Araylia as she hung limply from her shackles, twitching in time with the electrical pulses going through her body, 'Why did you come here? You could have stayed safe down there.'

Araylia lifted her head and threw Jack a weak smile, 'Don't be stupid. I couldn't leave you here once I found out where you were,' Araylia faintly felt tears fall down her cheeks, the electrical pulses making it difficult to feel anything else, 'I'm sorry I got caught.'

'Don't be silly, it's not-'

'No, I'm sorry I got caught,' Araylia trembled with the effort of concentrating on talking coherently, 'Because he's going to hurt me, and make you watch.'

Jack felt his heart clench, he knew Saxon would try and attack him mentally now he had the tools to do so.

'I'll try not to scream.'

Jack's vision blurred with tears as he watched Araylia struggle to smile at him, even knowing she was going to be put through hell she was still trying to reassure him.

'Don't give up, Daddy. It will be alright in the end. The Doctor will stop him one day; he'll make everything alright again. And you can travel the stars with him again and forget everything about this time,' she shuddered violently, 'You can survive this.'

The door clanged and fresh tears sprang to the pairs eyes as they saw Saxon approaching with an arsenal of weapons designed purely for torture. Jack screamed as Saxon approached the girl.

Araylia never took her eyes off Jack as Saxon approached her; she clamped her mouth shut and willed herself to die quickly.

As Saxon took out the first of his tools, Jack saw the light leave Araylia's eyes as she retreated in her own mind as far as she could. She'd shifted her gaze so she was looking up at Saxon, a defiant and blank look on her face as he got closer and closer to her.

TWTWTWWTWTWTTTWTWTWWT

'You were right you know...I was falling in love with Ianto. I was scared to let myself fall completely, I was still waiting for the Doctor after all and I knew that ultimately I would choose him over anyone,' Jack looked up at Araylia's limp body, still hanging from the shackles she had been placed in.

Saxon had worked on her for hours, causing the maximum amount of pain he could. Jack's eyes followed the train of dried blood that ran over her chin; she'd bitten right through her lip to stop herself screaming and giving Saxon the satisfaction, to stop Jack from suffering worse as he was forced to watch. He'd drawn out the torture of Araylia coming every three days, enough time to let some of the wounds partially heal before reopening them cruelly. She never screamed once.

'I cared for the team, of course I did...but the only one I got attached to fully was you. How could I not? You were always there...couldn't get away from you!' he chuckled lightly, 'But I'd still have left you...I did leave you. I left all of you. Without saying goodbye...I even knew you were hurtling down the plass to try and catch me. But I still went. And here you are...risking everything you have for me. To save me. And I left you...'

Jack shook his head, he was acting like a madman, even if Araylia was still clinging to life she was too withdrawn inside her mind to be able to come back. He was talking to nothing, a girl in a self induced coma. Only reacting to pain where her teeth would resume their grip on her bottom lip.

Jack sighed, 'I miss Ianto Jones. He was brilliant...although I don't need to tell you that. You knew him the best...better than I did and I was sleeping with him. You knew all about Lisa, helped him with Lisa. I never hated either of you for that. I knew Ianto was trying to save the one person he loved most in the world and I knew you would have done the same thing for...I don't even know his name. Your lover...

'I knew that you understood what he was doing, and that maybe this could be your redemption. I never hated either of you. I envied you, that you knew my Ianto better than I did,' Jack laughed bitterly, 'I should have noticed something wasn't right. He covered up his emotions perfectly; you both concealed your betrayal perfectly. I should have been a better boss, a better human...maybe I don't know how to be a human being anymore.

'How do I do it, Raylie? Tell me, please,' tears made a track down his face, 'How do I be better? How do I undo all the damage I caused you all? How do I be a human again, tell me...TELL ME!' Jack rattled his shackles as he shouted at her lifeless form, 'How do I fix this? Tell me how to fix this! Tell me how to fix myself! I don't want to be wrong; I don't want to be a fact. I don't want to live forever on my own. I don't want to watch as everyone and everything dies in front of my eyes.'

'Do you want to die, Jack?'

Jack's breath caught in his throat as he noticed her solid gaze on him, the fresh blood trickling down her chin an only indication that he hadn't imagined the question, 'No. I don't want to die. Not yet.'

'You sound pretty human to me,' she took a shuddering breath, 'save yourself, Jack. Save the world.'

'How?'

'You'll know how,' she gave him a limp smile; 'he's going to kill me today.'

'What do you mean? How do you know that?'

She swayed to her feet, 'He's bored, frustrated at the Doctor. They're both on their way.'

Sure enough Saxon appeared, rolling the Doctor in his wheelchair, 'I'll kill her! I'll do it, just watch me. Tell me what you said to Martha Jones.'

The Doctor looked sadly at Jack and then Araylia who smiled at him, 'I won't.'

'You'll let her die? You'll have innocent blood on your hands; this will be your fault.'

'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,' the Doctor looked at the girl, tears in his eyes before turning back to the Master, 'but I only have one thing to say to you, and you know what it is.'

'Don't you dare!' Saxon snarled, 'I'll kill her if you don't tell me,' Saxon pointed his screwdriver at Araylia's throat.

She leant towards the screwdriver so it was touching her neck, 'He won't tell you. So you better kill me now.'

Saxon jumped at her voice, 'Oooh, and here I thought you were practically out for the count anyway.'

Araylia winked at the Doctor, 'Pleasure to meet you, Doctor. I only wish our encounter could be longer.'

The Doctor looked at her sadly, and then curiously, 'What are you?'

'Oh, I'm just you're run of the mill psychic, telepath, soothsayer...who knows? I can't do anything with the inhibitor on my back anyway,' she winked again, 'At least that's what he thinks.'

Saxon jabbed the screwdriver sharply into her neck, 'What's that supposed to mean exactly?'

Araylia laughed before spitting in Saxon's face again, 'I'll die before I tell you.'

Jack panicked; he knew Araylia was trying to provoke Saxon into killing her quickly so he didn't have any more leverage. _Goodbye. _Jack felt her words in his mind, caressing and healing the damage that Saxon had caused. He gasped at the contact and faltered as he saw Saxon press his screwdriver further into her neck.

'That can be arranged.'

Jack screamed as Saxon pressed the button that ended her life.


	16. Reward When Found

**While the Boss is away...**

'Well that was a fucking waste of time!' Owen dumped his kit down on the autopsy table, 'Why the fuck did we even accept that mission?'

Gwen blushed slightly, 'It was a direct order from the PM, Owen. I wasn't about to say no just because it was a little out of our way.'

'A little out of our way?' Owen stormed back to the main hub, 'I'd say the fucking Himalaya's are completely out of the way!'

'She couldn't do anything about it, Owen, so stop whining!' Tosh snapped. She was exhausted and feeling frustrated about the wasted trip herself, even if she was enamoured with the doctor she couldn't stand anymore of his complaining.

'Oh shut up, Tosh, I'll do what I want.'

'Don't talk to her like that!' Ianto yelled from across the hub, he had towels over his shoulder for each of them. Not only were they exhausted they had been soaked as well- a typical "Welcome Home" courtesy of the Welsh weather.

'You can fuck off as well, tea-boy. I'm fucking grumpy and I'm going to complain and bitch and moan about it as much as I want.'

'Owen, will you just shut you fat mouth! We're back now so there's no point anyway,' Gwen interjected.

The squabbling escalated turning into a full out screaming match between the team, when a deafening high pitched sound filled the room causing them all to clamp their hands over their ears.

Araylia cleared her throat as the sound subsided, awarding the attention of the team. She was carrying a tray of steaming mugs and had an almost indignant look on her face.

'And here I thought I was the baby of the group,' she moved between them handing each their respective mugs, 'I knew you guys were gonna be grumpy but jeez.'

Ianto looked up, 'You made the coffee?'

Tosh looked at her own mug, 'This isn't coffee.'

Araylia smiled smugly, 'Ianto a mug of his favourite Italian blend of coffee, Tosh a mug of specialised praline hot chocolate, Owen a chai tea latte and Gwen a cappuccino, extra sweet.'

The team all stared down at their mugs unsure of what just happened.

'But...Ianto makes the coffee,' Gwen stated lamely.

'How did you know I like praline hot chocolate? I don't think even Ianto knew that...' Tosh stared at Araylia with a look of disbelief on her face.

'Oh, I'm terribly sorry,' Araylia said sarcastically, 'I'll take them all back from you then,' she flicked her hand upwards and the mugs floated out of the teams' hands towards her.

'No, no, no,' Owen said reaching for his mug, 'I want that.'

'Well stop staring and fucking drink then,' Araylia shook her head, 'You do one nice thing and people treat you like you've got two heads.'

'I just don't understand why you're doing this for us...you've never done it before.'

Araylia shrugged, 'I thought it'd be nice for you all to come back to something good, which includes Ianto. Why make him do it when I wasn't busy? Besides. I missed you guys, it was lonely here without you.'

Tosh smiled and pulled Araylia into a light hug, 'Thank you. I do appreciate it but I just have no idea how you knew.'

'Mm sorry,' Araylia mumbled, 'It's hard to stay out of your heads sometimes. I can't help it if a stray thought or two get through.'

'Oh great! What the fuck else do you know then?' Owen grunted.

Gwen and Ianto looked over to the girl who was smiling at Owen despite the way he'd spoken to her, 'Oh not much, Owen...only that you think Tosh has a spectacular arse in her Levi jeans,' the doctor blushed slightly as Tosh whirled round to look at him.

'Oh what the hell. You do have a great arse in general, Tosh,' Owen sniggered as he watched the technicians face turn a delightful shade of red.

Upon hearing Gwen's laughter Araylia turned to the Welshwoman, 'And Gwen thinks Ianto looks downright shag-able when he's wearing his red shirt.'

Ianto choked on his coffee, spraying coffee out of his mouth as Gwen stuttered in an attempt to deny the claim. Ianto began to laugh as Gwen got more and more flustered prompting Araylia to spill one of the Welshman's wandering thoughts.

'But Ianto sometimes wonders what Owen kisses like.'

Owen burst out laughing as Ianto glared at Araylia, 'Oh tea-boy! I'll tell you now I'd blow your mind.'

Gwen and Tosh started to giggle as Owens laugh echoed about the hub; soon they were all laughing together the previous argument forgotten.

Araylia smiled in triumph at managing to get the team back together instead of falling apart. Jack had only been gone a few weeks and she could see the strain from lacking a leader. Gwen was trying to do her best, occasionally challenged by Owen when he thought she was being stupid or making the wrong decision. Tosh or Ianto had no desire to be in charge and were happy to let the other two fight it out. Araylia's mouth twisted to the side in thought as an idea struck her.

'I've brought spare changes of clothes for you all- I figured you'd want to change when you got back- I put them down in the changing rooms. Go shower! Get dressed,' she looked at her watch, 'I'll have dinner waiting for you when you get back.'

As the team all trundled off to the basement Araylia picked up several take out menus, intending to get everyone's favourite. She knew they were all still exhausted and wanted to treat them. While Jack was gone she knew she'd have to get more involved with the rest of them. Araylia pouted at her trail of thought. It's not like she wasn't friends with them all- after all she lived in the hub so saw them on a day to day basis- but she didn't really know that much at all about the team, excluding Jack and Ianto. Although she didn't know that much about Ianto either. Even though she said it was hard to keep out of their minds, it was more complicated than that. It was like the things people wanted someone to know- to notice- pushed themselves into her mind, making it known to her. She never intentionally looked in someone's head unless she felt she had, or needed, too. Ianto was a closed book, never wanting or expecting anything from anyone. She knew his favourite things by default- he'd told her- but other than that she knew very little. But she planned to change that tonight. The team needed to bond, to rely on each other than to rely on Jack alone. And she had a perfect, cheeky game in mind.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTTW

Gwen sighed in contentment as she finished the last mouthful of her sweet and sour pork, she'd really fancied a tasty Chinese when she'd been in the Himalayas and promised herself one when she got back, only Araylia had beaten her to it.

Not only that, but Araylia had got everyone their own individual takeout dish. Owen was currently devouring a huge platter of haddock and chips; Tosh was looking sated after finishing her Penne all'arrabbiata and Ianto was trying to not look too delighted at his yaki soba.

'I didn't know you liked Japanese food, Ianto,' Tosh said smiling gently, 'I can cook for you sometime if you'd like?'

Ianto beamed at the Japanese woman, 'Tosh, I can't tell you how happy I am to hear those words.'

'How come you've put so much effort into this homecoming?' Gwen asked Araylia, 'I don't mean to sound rude but, you've never really done anything like this before.'

Araylia nodded, 'you're right, Gwen. And now that Jack's gone I think we could all do with a little bit of down time.'

Owen groaned, 'Don't tell me. Don't say it!'

'Team building!' Araylia laughed, 'I've got just the game for it,' she leapt up and dashed to Jack's office.

'What the hell are we going to be playing? I hope it's not another one of those touchy feely games Jack bought the last time he tried to host a team building session,' Owen pushed his plate away, seemingly satisfied with the meal.

Araylia returned a second later brandishing her game, 'Monopoly!'

The team looked confused.

'Uh, sweetheart, how is Monopoly going to help us...build...apart from houses and hotels,' Gwen asked.

'Okay,' Araylia started, laying out the board and starting to count out the money, 'it's monopoly, but not how you know it.'

'Go on,' Ianto prompted.

'I got the idea from when I played this a while back...although that was strip Monopoly and no Owen, we're not playing that version,' she chuckled at the look of disappointment on the medic's face, 'Okay, rules are the same obviously- you roll the dice, buy the properties- yadda yadda yadda- except instead of paying fees when you land on someone else's property...you have to pick truth or dare.'

'So basically we're just playing an extremely long version of truth or dare?' Owen snorted, 'You can lose the board game if you just want to play that!'

'Well, I always found that no one could think of enough truths or dares when you play it quick fire like that. This way you all get to think about it and then it's all about luck and how you play the game,' Araylia shrugged, 'I just thought it'd be more interesting this way.'

'Oh, why the hell not?' Gwen conceded, 'I haven't had a game of Monopoly in ages!'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWW

'Pall Mall! That's mine, Owen!' Tosh exclaimed, 'So, what would you prefer?'

Owen groaned, 'Go on then, give us a dare.'

Tosh pursed her lips together as she tried to think of a dare, grinning suddenly when she thought of the perfect one, 'I dare you to stand outside the coffee shop above us.'

'What the hell? That's ridiculous-'

'Naked. For 3 minutes.'

Owen stared at the technician in disbelief, 'You're joking.'

Tosh grinned wickedly, 'Deadly serious.'

The other three watched Owen intently, 'Don't be a wuss!' Gwen called out.

'Yeah! Man up,' Araylia giggled.

'Oh, I'm man enough!' Owen said, as he started to undress, heading over to the invisible lift, 'Get it going then!'

Tosh tapped at her keyboard and the lift started to ascend, Owen's clothes raining down on them before it reached the top. They all rushed over to the CCTV monitor to watch Owen make his way to the front of the shop, giggling when they saw an old lady do a double take and then start to talk to Owen in a manner that said she definitely wasn't appalled.

When the three minutes were up and the lift descending again Owen was laughing, 'Did you see that old bird chatting me up! I was having a hard time concentrating on what she was saying, half the time her hands were wandering.'

'I can't believe she did that! I swear...I thought I was going to die when she pinched your arse!' Gwen stuttered out in-between her laughter.

'Grab your clothes, Owen, you've pulled! 'Ianto said good-naturedly as he handed the medic his clothing.

'C'mon!' Owen said, 'let's get back to the game! I still wanna buy Mayfair.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Bow Street would be mine, Tosh.' Ianto said smugly, 'What'll it be?'

'Truth, please.'

'Okay then, is Mary the only woman you've been with?'

Gwen giggled and Owen snorted, 'Oh whatever, that was only interesting thing she's ever-'

'No,' Tosh interrupted, 'I once shagged my best friend at university. Her name was Grace.'

Owen's mouth dropped open and Araylia and Gwen began to laugh at the look on his face, 'O-Owen! You're face right now is hilarious!'

'What the- how the hell did that happen!' Owen asked astonished, 'Was she hot?'

Tosh smacked him on the arm lightly, chuckling as she relived the moment, 'We were both totally smashed and started kissing in the back seat of the taxi back to our flat...and it went from there. She was gorgeous, dark hair down to her stomach and legs that wouldn't quit,' she sighed, 'I have no idea what happened to her actually...'

'Maybe you should look her up,' Owen grinned.

'So who's next?' Tosh quickly asked turning the topic away from her.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Dare,' Ianto said with a sigh.

Araylia grinned wickedly, 'I dare you to snog Owen.'

'What the fuck? No way am I kissing tea-boy!' Owen laughed, 'I'm definitely not into guys.'

Araylia raised her eyebrows, 'What about that night when you'd first met Gwen, you weren't exactly-'

'Okay! So...I'm kissing tea-boy then?' Owen said quickly, cutting across Araylia who was smiling smugly.

Ianto shook his head, 'I'm sorry but there is no way I'm kissing Owen! Even if I am curious.'

'You'll have to do a truth then!' Tosh said happily.

'Oh god, that's just as bad...fine. Truth.'

Araylia frowned as she thought of something good to ask, 'Okay. Out of everyone in this room who would you shag, who would you marry, who would you throw off a cliff and who would you...have a threesome with?'

The rest of the team grinned at Araylia before turning to look at Ianto who looked more than irritated at the question.

Sighing he looked at them all, 'I'm sorry, Owen, but you always knew you were going off the cliff.'

'No worries, mate, I would definitely not wanna marry you!'

Ianto chuckled; 'I'd shag Tosh, marry Araylia and have a threesome with Gwen and Tosh...' he finished quickly, fighting the heat rising to his face.

The girls all looked between themselves, smiles pulling at their mouths as they all had a similar idea. Getting up they all started to advance towards Ianto, 'Oh, hubby! You're so sexy,' growled Araylia.

'Especially in that red shirt of yours,' drawled Gwen, running a finger over Ianto's torso.

'And don't get me started on your...skills in the kitchen,' Tosh said in an overly suggestive tone.

'Arghh, get off me women!' Ianto shouted, fighting away the hands running over his suit, 'Owen! Help me!'

'Hey, I'm off a cliff, remember?' Owen laughed.

Ianto squirmed, heat rising to his face as the girls continued to make increasingly lewd comments in his ears, 'Could you just- ah! Where the hell is that hand going, Tosh? Please don't- woah! Gwen! This is very awkar- Shit! Araylia, get off of that!'

The girls giggled and each hugged Ianto in turn, 'Only teasing, sweetheart,' Gwen beamed at him.

'Sorry- couldn't resist!' Tosh chuckled.

'Don't worry,' Araylia whispered in his ear, 'I won't tell Jack...or will I?'

Ianto glared at them all, looking decidedly more dishevelled than usual.

'Oh, I love it when his feathers are ruffled!' Araylia grinned in delight as Ianto tried to smooth down his hair.

'Definitely not funny!' Ianto said, narrowing his eyes at the giggling women.

'So you think our wayward leader will be back then?' Owen said sounding slightly hopeful.

Araylia shrugged, 'I know he'll be back.'

'How can you know that?' Gwen asked, leaning towards Araylia, 'Did he tell you something before he went? You know...up here?' she gestured to her head.

'No he didn't,' Araylia frowned, 'but he'll come back for us. One day.'

Tosh snorted, 'One day could be in a hundred years for him.'

Ianto looked taken aback, 'Tosh.'

'I'm sorry,' she said, 'but I just don't know what to think right now. And if he's left with the Doctor...I mean,' she looked at Araylia, 'You said yourself that he'd been waiting here for him didn't you? Maybe he'll only think to come back for us when he gets bored...'

Araylia shrugged again, 'If he's with the Doctor then he could be gone for a thousand years and still make it back here. The wonders of time travel go for as long as you like then pop back a few minutes after you leave.'

'Except it hasn't been a few minutes. It's been weeks!' Gwen sighed.

'It's not really an exact science...' Araylia winced.

'How can you have so much faith in him?' Owen snapped, 'He has you locked down here! And he probably will have for the foreseeable future because he doesn't know what you are. He keeps examining your medical files and he still looks as confused as ever.'

'Owen. That's enough,' Ianto stepped in putting a protective arm around the girl.

'No, Ianto he's right. Jack is for all intents and purposes my prison warden,' Araylia shrugged off Ianto's arm, 'but he's also my protector. He keeps me safe here as well as trapped. I can't say I blame him either, I know what I did when I was...compromised and I can't take that back. I sometimes scare myself with what I can do. So I trust Jack to do what he thinks best, and he's seen so much...how could I not have faith in him?'

A familiar alarm sounded and the team groaned at the sound. Weevils really did have a poor sense of timing.

'C'mon then, duty calls!' Owen said as he reluctantly got out of his chair.

Tosh already tapping away at her station sighed as she realised the fun was over, 'there are three of them...of course. I'll link the coordinates to the SUV and we can get going.'

'I got the weevil repellent,' Gwen called over her shoulder, 'let's try and make this capture as quick as possible.'

Ianto smiled as Araylia put her arm around his waist, 'Too bad, huh?'

'There's always next time,' she grinned up at him, 'this will give me time to think of more wicked and wonderful things to do to you.'

'I better get ready then.'

'After all the 21st century is when everything changes.'


	17. Everybody's Gone to War

'Why is caster sugar sweeter?'

Ianto frowned and then shook his head lightly, 'What?'

Araylia jumped off the filing cabinet she was perched on and onto Ianto's retreating back, 'Caster sugar, how come it's different from granulated sugar...or cane sugar...icing sugar, Demerara sugar, brown sugar, white suga-'

'I get the picture,' Ianto huffed shifting the girl further up his back, 'do you have to keep leaping on me every time my back is turned?'

'Yes,' she stated matter of factly, 'I think I prefer this to flying.'

'God help me.'

'It means I get to cuddle you while you walk.'

Ianto shook his head again, 'Yeah! Treat me like a pack mule while making me endure unnecessary contact.'

Araylia tapped him lightly on the back of the head before snuggling further into his back, making Ianto squirm uncomfortably, 'you looove to cuddle, don't lie.'

'What happened to the good old times when physical contact was kept to a minimum!' Ianto mock sobbed.

'All part and parcel of team building,' Araylia said playfully.

'Well go jump on Owen!'

On cue Owen's voice crackled in their ears, '_Guys, rift activity just outside splott,_'

Araylia sighed, 'Why is it always splott?'

'_Whatever it is it's shifting fast, possible GTA from the speeds and direction it's going in. Grab your guns both of you, Gwen said she wants us all out on this and frankly, I agree.' _

'Woah, when did hell freeze over?' Ianto jibed, 'Owen and Gwen agreeing? Say it ain't so!'

'_Oh shut up and get your arses up here!' _

_TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTTW_

'Hey kids, did ya miss me?' Jack chuckled at the shocked expressions on the teams faces.

Araylia crept out from behind the bookcase, withdrawing from the trembling child she had been shielding, 'Jack?'

Time seemed to begin for the rest of the team who immediately began clear up, Owen continuing to treat the bullet wound in the man panting on the floor, Tosh and Gwen moved the woman who had been held hostage away gently- Gwen muttering nonsense to the woman to calm her down and Tosh scanning the remains of the fish. Ianto had whipped his phone out and was making a series of phone calls to get the car towed and back to its rightful owner, thinking about a decent cover up story.

Jack looked on in awe at how well the team had adjusted without him, his expression changing when his gaze alighted on Araylia who was cuddling the little girl, making her doll do a strange, stilted dance in the air.

'What the hell are you doing out here?'

Araylia giggled with the little girl, making her doll hug her before extracting herself to face Jack. The look of kindness falling away for fury, 'Excuse me? I think the question is "Where the hell WERE you?"' she shoved Jack backwards, causing him to stumble slightly, 'If you think you can just waltz back in here and start throwing your weight around you have another thing coming.'

Jack looked visibly chastened, 'I'm sorry, I'm just...confused.'

Araylia snorted, 'No shit, you left us. Things have changed in the last 3 months, Jack,' she moved away seeing Ianto was finished on the phone and conferred with him quickly before they both took the little girl up to put her to bed.

Jack stood in the living room feeling lost and upset. He knew his return would be a bit awkward and he wasn't expecting to be welcomed back with open arms...but after the year that never happened he thought that maybe at least Araylia would be happy to see him. He placed himself in a nearby armchair waiting for the team to finish their clear up, only moving when the team appeared ready to leave.

'There's not enough space in the SUV,' Owen stated.

'Jack got himself here, he can get himself back,' Araylia shrugged, 'I'm not being crushed in the back, there's barely enough space as there is with all of that tech,' she slammed the door behind Tosh and herself, rolling down the window she said, 'Ianto get in, leave that for the professionals.'

Ianto looked down as he passed Jack, leaving the sports car he was hovering by, unsure whether to wait for the recovery service or not but upon hearing Araylia he conceded.

Once they were all in the SUV, and Jack had disappeared around the corner, Owen pulled away.

'Was that a good idea? I mean, he's just got back...should we have maybe...oh I don't know,' Gwen sighed, 'How the hell did he find us anyway...'

'Who cares? What's he doing back now? And where the hell was he?' Owen snapped, 'If he thinks he can just stroll back in and takeover he'll have a shock.'

'But isn't this a good thing?' Tosh muttered quietly, 'He's come back...'

The rest of the ride back to the hub was silent, each of the team lost in their own thoughts and emotions on Jack sudden appearance, each asking a silent question in their heads: Would he stay this time?

TWTWWTWTWTWTWTWWTWTTW

'I came back for you...for all of you.'

The hub was a flurry of talking, still things to do concerning clean up. Gwen was orchestrating most of what needed to be done but the team instinctively knew what they needed to do and what should be done, interjecting every so often.

Jack watched as the team moved around him, Tosh immediately at her station, Owen running tests on his computer, Gwen moving about them all as she completed various small tasks and Ianto organising paperwork with Araylia slipping off his back when he reached round and patted her on the thigh.

Jack frowned at Ianto; he knew the young man was uncomfortable with prolonged contact in a platonic way. And he'd nearly let his jaw drop when he'd come into the hub earlier to see Araylia leaping onto his back and Ianto didn't even bat an eye.

Araylia made a beeline towards Jack, having said nothing to him since they were back at the house, 'So,' she looked at him with an expression Jack didn't recognise, 'have fun while you were away?'

Jack winced, 'Not exactly.'

She snorted, looking back at the others, 'I suppose if you were you'd probably have stayed away longer,' she sighed, 'Sorry, I'm not being fair,' she chuckled, 'You know, two months ago I was defending you to the hilt and now as soon as your back I attack you. Call me crazy-'

'Okay, Crazy.'

'Oh har har, that's hilarious,' she hit him playfully on the arm, 'I'm trying to be serious here!'

Jack raised his arms in mock defeat.

'I said back then that I had faith in you. And I did...I do. But it still stung that you left. And what was worse was that you knew I was chasing you that day and you still left, you didn't even hesitate.'

'I'm sorry. But I told you I'd choose the Doctor over anyone and-'

'When?'

Jack faltered, 'Sorry?'

'When did you tell me that you'd choose the Doctor over anyone?' Araylia fixed him with a hard glare, and raised her eyebrows when she felt Jack desperately raise the defences in his mind, 'I'm not going to look in there, Jack, jeez. Not that you'd be able to stop me anyway...what are you hiding?'

'I can't tell you. Especially you,' Jack grimaced, unsure of whether he had just fuelled the girl's curiosity.

She gave him a level stare, 'Okay. For now,' she walked towards Tosh who was patching the coordinates through to the SUV, 'going?'

'You're not coming?'

Araylia scowled, 'Not enough room in the SUV is there? Now you're back I'll be grounded to the hub again...'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'It's roomy, I'll give you that.'

Araylia watched as Jack and the strange man descended on the lift, 'Ianto, who's he?'

'Friend of Jack's,' Ianto deadpanned as he picked up a silver tray, making his way over to the base of the lift. He put the weapons on the tray one by one as Jack handed them over, rolling his eyes at the ostentatious variations of weapons that he saw. How could any one man need that many weapons?

Ianto tried to keep his uneasiness from showing on his face. John had said they had been partners...in every way. Did that mean Jack was once in love with this vile man? He pushed his conflicted feelings to the back of his head and concentrated on the job at hand, he had time to be jealous later.

'Tosh, start searching for the canisters, once you have the readings patch them through to the conference room,' Jack said sweeping off to his office, with Gwen in tow.

Araylia and Ianto rolled their eyes simultaneously as they watched the Welshwoman follow Jack. Cocking one eyebrow Araylia muttered, 'Shocking.'

'Well hello, and who is this?' John Hart was leering at Araylia, 'Why the hell does Jack keep you hidden away in here?'

Araylia smiled, 'Because I can do things like this,' she pointed upwards and John began to flail around in the air.

'Woah, that is some party trick, Sweetness,' John laughed as he was put back on the ground, 'I can think of more than a few ways that little gift would be handy.'

Araylia jumped up to the platform that John was standing on, 'Oh yeah? Maybe we can try a few out.'

'Oh I like you, you're my favourite,' he growled as Araylia pushed herself closer to him, 'Definitely going in my good books.'

'Oh,' Araylia breathed lips millimetres away from Johns, 'and here I was hoping to go in the _bad _books.'

A pair of hands ripped Araylia off of the platform and she was flung over a shoulder, 'Hey! Put me down!'

'Not on your life, I'm not letting you out of my sight while he's around,' Ianto snapped, 'what the hell are you playing at?'

Araylia pouted, 'But he's gorgeous!'

'And dangerous!'

'Maybe I like dangerous...'

Ianto sighed, 'I'm not having this conversation here, in front of him. It'll only egg him on.'

Araylia struggled in Ianto's grip, 'Then don't have the conversation and let me go!'

Tosh's voice sounded over the comm. link, 'I've got the readings and patched them through to the conference room.'

Ianto shifted Araylia so he had a better grasp of her, 'C'mon.'

'What? You can't seriously intend to keep me flung over your shoulder the whole time he's here!'

'If I have to, yes,' Ianto said seriously as he made his way to the conference room.

'What the hell! Ianto, stop being ridiculous and put me down!'

Araylia was still struggling when they got into the conference room, awarding Ianto several confused looks, 'Ianto...any reason you have Araylia over your shoulder like a sack of shit?' Owen asked stifling a giggle.

'Fuck off, Owen; I'm not a sack of shit!' Araylia yelled.

Jack walked into the room, 'Am I missing something here? Or are Raylie and Ianto far more touchy feely than when I left?'

Ianto cleared his throat, 'She's taken to clambering on me when she can, but not just me the rest of them too...though not as much. Can't say why really...'

'I'm right here! Stop talking as if I'm not in the room!'

'I think it's a comfort thing she got off Jack,' Owen interjected, 'Jack was always touchy feely himself.'

'Am I invisible or something?'

'What's Ianto doing to Araylia?' Gwen asked as she came in, 'Isn't she the one that holds him hostage normally?'

John cleared his throat, 'I think Eye Candy got a bit jealous of me.'

Ianto glared at John, 'I was not jealous, I'm merely protecting her from you.'

'I don't want protecting!' Araylia shouted, 'He's sexy!'

'What do you mean protecting?' Tosh piped up, 'What were they doing?'

'Nothing...yet,' John smiled seductively.

'Stay away from her,' Jack snapped, 'don't touch her John, I'm serious.'

'What if I want to be touched?' Araylia sighed.

'She's fragile and I don't want you messing her up.'

'This is stupid now. I'm RIGHT here and I am not fragile anymore, Harkness!'

'Shall we get on with the meeting?' Ianto suggested, patting an aggravated Araylia on the leg.

TWTWTWTWTWTTWWTTW

John waltzed into the hub, whistling as he made his way down to the med bay.

'What are you doing here?'

He whirled around at the sudden voice, 'Oh, I forgot about you.'

Araylia smiled and lifted her gun, 'You sure know how to make a girl feel special.'

'Why even bother with the gun? With that mind you could take down the world.'

She tilted her head, 'I know I just like the show. Shoving a gun in someone's face is more satisfying than waving a hand about, right?'

John smiled, 'It sure is sweetness,' he moved closer to her as she lowered her gun slightly. He leaned in to kiss her, nearly catching her mouth before she moved backwards.

'Uh uh, Hart. I know all about that paralyzing lip balm of yours,' she laughed, 'Gwen always sends out a distress signal with her mind...not that she knows about it. They all do now I come to think of it...'

'If you know what I've done why didn't you come and stop me?'

Araylia rolled her eyes, 'Jack deadlocked the lift and changed the codes...I couldn't get out.'

'And why haven't you shot me yet?'

'I'm trying to give you the chance to surrender...'

John chuckled, 'You know that's not going to happen,' he jabbed her swiftly in the gut before crashing her head and his knee together, knocking her out, 'She who hesitates is lost, sweetness.'

John dragged her back to the main hub and tied the girl up, fixing a rigging system up so she was hanging suspended in the air, 'Now that's done with...' he wandered back down to the autopsy bay, failing to hear the cog door rolling backwards.

The team rushed through guns at the ready, Ianto pausing when he saw Araylia suspended in mid air. He motioned to Tosh who bit back a gasp; together they lowered the girl to the floor and untied her, setting her on the sofa before they went to deal with John.

TWTWTWTWTWTWTW

Araylia woke in time to see Jack and Owen working frantically in the autopsy bay, 'What's going on?'

'No time to explain, Princess, come on!' Owen yelled as he and Jack ran through the hub, closely followed by the stumbling girl. They jumped into Owen's car and raced off.

'Can someone tell me what's going on?'

'Gwen's about to go through the rift because she's handcuffed to John,' Jack said briefly.

'I think I'm going to need a bit more than that...'

'Basically John is about to explode and it's not going to be pretty,' Owen stated, swerving sharply.

'Uh huh...well. I'm pretty sure I'm concussed so...I'm gonna pass out now.'

TWTWTWTWTWTWTWTW

'Ow. Ow. Ow. OW.'

'Would you shut it?' Owen shouted, 'I need to check you over.'

'Do you have to be so rough about it?' Araylia squeaked as Owen prodded her bruised stomach.

'In case you haven't noticed, I haven't slept in 32 hours and I have a bullet wound myself! Now quit wriggling and be still.'

Araylia huffed, 'I can't help it! God it's bad enough that I'm going to be looking forward to hourly wake up calls without being reminded that I was beaten up earlier.'

'At least you weren't shot.'

Jack chuckled as he watched the show, earning himself an almost identical look of contempt from both parties. He held up his hands in apology and glanced down at the sleeping Welshman in his lap.

Jack had booked the team into a nearby hotel so they were in no danger of running into themselves. He'd got two bedrooms, one for the girls and one for the guys- Owen protested there was no point in splitting the girls from the boys when Jack still got to be with Ianto which earned him a death glare from the young Welshman. Araylia was dragged into their room by Owen so he could check her over, though Jack suspected that Owen was worried about being alone with him and Ianto. Not that he should be, Jack wasn't expecting Ianto to let him jump back into his bed just like that. He had some grovelling to do, but it would be worth it. He wanted to make up for all the lost time and he wanted to fulfil everything he'd thought about doing with Ianto in the year that never was.

He brushed a hand through Ianto's hair causing the young man to stir slightly and then nuzzle into Jack's lap. They had gotten into the room about half an hour ago and Ianto had barely been able to keep his eyes open. After lying down on the bed, he promptly fell asleep even with the racket Araylia was making, Jack joined him soon after and Ianto had wriggled across the bed until his head had ended up in the Captain's lap. Araylia had said that Ianto had started cuddling when he was asleep and she thought it was a security thing. Jack frowned as he wondered how the girl had known about Ianto's changed sleeping patterns.

'We slept together most nights,' Araylia announced interrupting his thoughts.

'Pardon?'

'That's how I know he cuddles in his sleep.'

'You...slept with each other?' Jack stared at her, heart beating erratically with something Jack didn't want to acknowledge right then.

'Don't be an idiot,' she scowled at him, 'we just slept, nothing sinister. It was hard for us when you left, probably harder for us than the others. Like I said I think it was a security thing for Ianto, but for me it was just nice to have someone there, like reassuring me that I wasn't alone...probably was like that for Ianto too...'

'How did you know what I was thinking about?'

Araylia groaned, 'I don't have to be a mind reader to read what's on your mind, Jack. Sometimes it's as clear as day.'

Jack nodded, feeling humiliated that his emotions had played out on his face so blatantly.

'Oh and I want the access codes back.'

'No.'

Araylia narrowed her eyes, 'You had no right to take them from me.

'I had every right, you're not a member of Torchwood.'

'Maybe not but I help out, I go on missions now and I'm allowed outside of the hub. Owen and Gwen decided a while back that I would be an asset instead of a hindrance on missions, unlike you, they gave me a chance.'

'You hate going outside,' Jack stated.

'I got over it.'

'Jack just give her the codes back so we can go to sleep,' Owen groaned, 'She's actually really good and she picked up the weapon training well.'

'You trained her as well!'

'I couldn't let her go out unarmed could I? I know she can do...whatever but it was just in case.'

'Just let me have to codes, Jack,' Araylia pleaded, 'you know I could have taken them from your head, but I didn't. I'm asking you. Please.'

Jack sighed, 'I'll change them back tomorrow. But, no more missions.'

Araylia shrugged, 'for now...'


End file.
